GOP Budget Includes Provision To Slash Government Spending And Repeal Dozens Of Costly Mandates

April Fools! A bunch of Republicans joined with Democrats to move forward on a major liberal agenda item.

It's old, from last week, but I just came across an interesting tidbit about the Senate GOP's budget...it includes a provision that could lead to implementing one of Hillary's likely campaign priorities.

Not every budget vote in Thursday's Senate marathon is particularly telling. The vote on SA 798, one of Washington Senator Patty Murray's amendments, is an exception. Titled the Deficit-Neutral Reserve Fund for Legislation to Allow Americans to Earn Paid Sick Time, Murray's amendment would devote funds "relating to efforts to improve workplace benefits and reduce health care costs, which may include measures to allow Americans to earn paid sick time to address their own health needs and the health needs of their families, and to promote equal employment opportunities."

The amendment retooled the Healthy Families Act, a bill that faces a steep hill in a Republican Congress. Yet unlike most of the Democrat's amendments this one was agreed to, picking up every member of Murray's party and 16 Republicans. From the Republican side: New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte, North Carolina Senator Richard Burr, Illinois Senator Mark Kirk, Arizona Senator John McCain, Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, Ohio Senator Rob Portman, and Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey.

This isn't the first time the GOP has passed something near and dear to Hillary's heart. The "doc-fix" included an extension of the Child Health Insurance Program which she championed during Bill Clinton's administration.

On the upside, such as it is, all the GOP Senators who are going to run for President voted against this amendment.

It's also mostly a symbolic act and doesn't set up a program or carry the force of law. On the other hand, symbolism is important. This is how government grows. Liberals propose something and a handful of "reasonable" Republicans decide to work with them. Suddenly the question isn't whether or not this big government mandate is something we should do, it's simply a question over how to cut a deal to do it. Anyone not supporting the expansion is immediately branded "anti-family" and "obstructionists". And we all now how that ends.

Wasn't the idea of having control of both houses of Congress to make the Democrats take tough votes and force Obama to veto popular stuff? That doesn't seem to be how this is working out.

SIXTEEN GOP Senators voted to help put a crack in the dyke. It's just a matter of time before the pressure builds and everyone decides to ride the wave instead of being drowned by it.

Thank God for the GOP majority!

posted by DrewM. at 11:39 AM

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