Let’s Do It!
In comments today Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Relief refers to three mechanisms by which Republicans can keep Obama in check. We like them all.
- Norquist said one of the most powerful tools the party has available is because of the so called fiscal cliff: sequestration. The 110 billion per year in cuts will not happen otherwise. Let it happen. Otherwise only games and lip-service will be played by Obama.
- Instead of passing the budget congress passes continuing resolutions. It must be done for the government to function at all under law — so take advantage of it to force cuts or at least limit the growth of government.
What they did in 2011, for about a month or two, they said, ‘We’ll extend the continuing resolution for a few weeks if you save four billion dollars.’”
- Sometime early next year, the government will once again reach the debt ceiling, this, Norquist said, is the most powerful of the three tools available to the GOP.
“It will have to come up every month or so as Obama keeps hitting that ceiling,” Norquist said of the nation’s borrowing limit. “Republicans can raise it a little or a lot, or for a month or for six months. That gives them discipline as it did in 2011 to require spending restraint.”
I think the Republicans need to get on them about the passing of a budget. Obama and the Harry Reid Senate haven’t passed/let a budget pass in what, 4 years now? Harry’s Senate voted 99-0 against Obama’s budget last year!
What Norquist says about these continuing resolutions every few months because of not having a budget fits into the Veritas piece sparked by our good friend Peggy Noonan a few weeks back about “the drawn-out crisis” being the Obama way.