Mark Warner’s Mushiness
By Norman Leahy | Friday, July 8th, 2011 | Policy, Politics, VirginiaThe Richmond Times-Dispatch editorial page overcomes, for a moment at least, its infatuation with Sen. Mark Warner and calls him to account for his mushy middleness on the federal budget:
Warner’s centrist approach obscures more than it clarifies. It sounds sensible and fair in the abstract. But as applied to the current situation it makes no sense. It’s like resolving a dispute between a bank and a bank robber by letting the robber keep half of what he stole. Everyone has to give up something in a negotiation, right?
What Warner and his more strident colleagues fail to note is this: Since 2008 total federal spending has risen by more than one-fourth, from $2.98 trillion to $3.8 trillion this year. If the federal government simply had held federal spending steady at 2008 levels, then it would have eliminated more than $1.75 trillion in accumulated debt. That comes to about $1.62 billion per day.
Alas, such spending rigor isn’t in the cards. Rather, the political class will serve us the weak tea they hope will help them avoid short-term blame for the mess we’re in.
Though there is a still a ray of hope for something called a “grand budget deal“:
The package to reduce the federal deficit by $4 trillion or more over 10 years is much more ambitious than negotiators envisioned just two weeks ago, and represents the most far-reaching of three options Mr. Obama presented to lawmakers Thursday in a closed-door meeting in the White House Cabinet Room.
To achieve such a reduction, negotiators likely would have to agree to spending cuts for domestic programs, defense and entitlement programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, as well as boost tax revenues. Most negotiators agree that spending reductions would outweigh any new revenues by a sizable margin, though significant reductions in tax breaks and deductions for businesses also likely would be part of the mix.
The entitlement cuts (which might include using a “chained” consumer price index), will rankle the Democrats and, even more, the entitlement lobbyists and beneficiaries, both of whom are quite skilled at bludgeoning pols who dare try to grab grandma’s Social Security check.
Republicans will chafe, and Grover Norquist will burst a blood vessel, over the tax hikes. Others, particularly in Virginia’s congressional delegation, will scream that any cuts to the nation’s longest-running and most successful jobs program — defense spending — are unthinkable.
Grand bargain or not, it will be an exceedingly difficult sell to either side.
Which brings us back to another, frequently ignored point about the current crisis:
…blame for the explosive growth in debt is bipartisan. Fiscal 2009 began on Oct. 1, 2008 — a month before Barack Obama was elected, three months before he took office, and probably six months before he had his sea legs under him. When the president says he inherited a mess, he speaks the truth.
The paper’s editorial writer also notes, quite correctly, that rather than address the mess, the President and Democratic-controlled Congress made it worse. Exponentially worse.
And right there adding to the heap was Sen. Mark Warner. He plumped for the stimulus bill that created few jobs, but added mightily to the debt and deficit. He voted for Obamacare, too, the greatest addition to the welfare state since, well, the Bush administration’s creation of the prescription drug benefit. His hands are as dirty, if not more so, than those he criticizes. Yet he would have us believe he is the voice of moderation.
A pox on them all…
(Cross-posted at Score Radio Network)
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About the author
Norm Leahy has written about Virginia and national politics online since 2002, beginning with One Man's Trash (OMT), and continuing through Bacon's Rebellion (both the blog and the e-zine), Sic Semper Tyrannis, NBC12's Decision Virginia, Richmond.com and Tertium Quids. He is the chief blogger at "The Score" and a producer of "The Score" radio show as well as being a Washington Post contributor.
Comments
6 Responses to "Mark Warner’s Mushiness"
Norman,
It is interesting that you praise the Richmond Times Dispatch for overcoming their infatuation with Senator Mark Warner for his mushy middleness and then in your closing sentences try to claim that Mark is not a moderate.
Every heard about consistency?
Consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, Little David.
Norman,
That I guess you will not mind if I praise you for your inconsistency then?
Norman, here we go again. You guys get yourselves so worked up you get confused.
The “grand budget deal” – Mark Warner isn’t at THAT table. That’s the Obama, Boehner, Reid, Kyle, McConnell, Cantor, Pelosi, Hoyer, Durbin room.
Warner’s been working (for the last 6 months) with the Gang of 6 plan ~ AND he’s been taking some pretty hard hits from the far left in doing so. Frankly, I’m proud Virginia has two representatives at the front lines… both Cantor and Mark Warner. Give him a break, and maybe give credit where credit is due?
Jay D says Frankly, I’m proud Virginia has two representatives at the front lines… both Cantor and Mark Warner. Give him a break, and maybe give credit where credit is due?
And exactly what are we giving them the credit for?? You ignore the fact that Warner voted for every spending bill (and Cantor some of them) no matter how ridiculous or corrupt and now Warner wants you and me and the guy behind the tree to continue to pay for more of this nonsense. Not only that he wants us to pay more. What complete baloney that corporations are going to pay more taxes. WE the consumer have to pay them.
V – I’m not ignoring any of it and am as ticked off as the next guy at spending and borrowing. But being ticked won’t get us from here to there. Why don’t we postpone the blame game until these guys come up for re-election and, for now, work on supporting solutions rather than pointing fingers at who spent the most. (Personally, I would support jail terms or automatic expulsion for breaking fiduciary trust!)
According to Warner, the G/of/6 plan (if it ever comes out of the box) will revamp tax policy to close up loopholes & credits AND broaden the tax base so that more citizens have skin in the game. Not exactly a leftist philosophy and something many on the right have been harping about for years.
Unfortunately, 99% of BD readers and bloggers would rather shoot arrows at any moving D target and further feed the insanity. And most, as Mr. Leahy’s current posting illustrates, haven’t got a clue as to facts on the ground (or simply ignore or manipulate reality to score political points).
I do fix problems for a living… and frankly, bitching about what went down yesterday NEVER helped solve a problem today.
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