Republicans Cave.......Again!

This is getting old, but predictable. To avoid another government shutdown in mid-January, 2014, some sort of a agreement between the two parties needed to be brokered. A deal was struck, and as usual the Republicans caved in to the Democrats...what's new? 

We travel back almost a year ago when the two sides couldn't get together on a budget deal. Missing the deadline something called a 'sequester' became part of the American lexicon. Automatic cuts went into effect. 

With this 'new deal,' hatched by Senate Budget Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray, D-Wash., and House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis, some $63 billion in funding that had been cut by the  sequester would be restored, meaning another increase in spending. But, not to worry. We're told that this

Rep. Paul Ryan & Sen. Patty Murray

$63 billion would be offset by cuts in spending and fees totalling about $85 billion which theoretically would leave a cut in the deficit of nearly $23 billion. Sounds good, right? Wrong! We have to remember who we're dealing with here.They're called Democrats. The $85 billion in cuts would come over a 10 year period. History tells that when the GOP makes this type of deal the Democrats never keep their end of it. If you think Senator Harry Reid and Rep. Nancy Pelosi or anyone with the picture of a donkey on his or her back is going to cut anything......well, swampland, anyone? The truth is meaningful cuts won't happen as long as Democrats control two-thirds of the power structure in D.C. If the Republicans want to get something done that cuts spending and reduces the size of government they need to keep control of the House and grab the Senate. More thoughts on that later.

Conservative groups such as  Heritage Action, through a USA column was not complimentary of the new Ryan-Murray brokered budget agreement:   

“This budget deal creates a faux peace in Washington, D.C., while burdening taxpayers by sweeping the impending fiscal crisis under the rug," Amy Kremer, chairwoman of the Tea Party Express, said in a statement. "If the Sequestration was a baby step forward, this is a baby step backward."

Tim Phillips, president of Americans for Prosperity said Republicans who backed the plan would be joining Democrats in "breaking their word" to the American people about getting control of government spending:

 “This budget compromise is not just bad policy, it is bad politics,” Phillips said,  “The American people remember hard-won bipartisan spending limits set by the sequester, and are not pleased to see their conservative representatives so easily go back on their word to rein in government over-spending." 

Even Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., was not impressed:.

“In the short run, this budget also cancels earlier spending reductions, instead of making some tough decisions about how to tackle our long-term fiscal challenges caused by runaway Washington spending."

These people and groups realize the Republicans again caved to the Democrats. Numerous others have spoken out as well. At the same time, House Speaker John Boehner has blasted those opposed to the deal. Read More:  Boehner Goes Off On Conservative Groups

So, as usual, we find the Republicans in a familiar place..fractured. 
First of all they have no backbone. They tend to get blamed by the Democrats for everything, even though it was not their fault. The recent government shut down comes  to mind. They need to get a spine and learn to fight back, gain some ground and quit taking a beating. Second, they need to get over the in-fighting. The old line conservatives and the Tea Party groups have to come together for a common cause. As long as Boehner

Rep. John Boehner & Sen. Mitch McConnell

and Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell keep shutting out the Tea Party Representatives and Senators they will continue to lose battles and, more important, elections. Right now Democrats are handing the GOP a gift. It's called Obamacare. On this one issue the Republicans should be able to keep the House and take back the Senate in the 2014 mid-term elections.
 But frankly, if they keep caving on issues and acting like siblings who can't get along, I don't see it happening.

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