Budget Impasse Reflects GOP Schism

[GreenPartyVoter]

A deep rift in the Republican Party has left Congress unable to pass a budget this year, raising the probability that, for the third time in three decades, lawmakers will not agree on a detailed blueprint.

The budget meltdown was triggered by a feud between conservative Republicans who favor continuing to cut taxes in the face of record budget deficits and GOP moderates who are pushing for curbs on tax cuts and are reluctant to slash spending. Even a face-saving effort in the House to impose federal spending curbs blew up just after midnight Friday when 72 Republicans joined a united Democratic Party to torpedo the leadership-backed bill.

The collapse of budget negotiations is more of a political embarrassment than a practical problem for GOP leaders, who only two years ago sharply criticized Democrats for failing to pass a budget when they controlled the Senate. But some Republicans fear that this year's impasse reflects an irreconcilable division within their party that will imperil the government's ability to set tax policy and address ever-widening deficits as the baby boomers begin to retire.

"For a majority of Republicans in Congress, tax cuts are now more important then budget constraints, and they've gotten themselves between a rock and a hard place because you can't have both," lamented former senator Warren B. Rudman (R-N.H.), a prominent advocate of fiscal restraint.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1802&ncid=1802&e=3&u=/washpost/20040630/ts_washpost/a15997_2004jun29

[PROGRESSIVE1]

1. ....................

[Kanary]

2. Do you know of any more "advocates of fiscal restraint"

besides Rudman?

I'd like to make some phone calls.......first to Rudman, then to others trying to hold the line.

I'd like *others* to also make these calls.

Any way to get a list of them?

Kanary

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. Olympia Snowe has been known to put her foot down now and again

on budget issues.

[wryter2000]

3. This IS good news

If the Republican party can be won back to reason (limited reason, I know :evilgrin:), we really can save this country.

[Demeter]

5. DON"T HOLD YOUR BREATH!

Rudman is a fatuous fool--I lived in his state and watched him suck up to every foul idea that came down the Reagan pike.

The moderates will all be drivenout by wackos--the silver lining being that the wackos will lead to a revival of Democrats and democracy (hopefully soon, not after we're all dead from the GOP kindnesses).