It's Not Your Father's GOP

Echoing Kerry's campaign theme, "We can do better!" Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan just took a swipe at the President, asserting that Bush could have taken measures that would have provided an even bigger boost to economic growth. In other words, my 401(k) might be worth more than I paid into it by now.

Greenspan, in a God-like voice, laid down the eleventh commandment to Republican lawmakers, "You should not be borrowing for your tax cuts." Greenspan urged Republicans to reinstate laws requiring Congress to pay for both tax cuts and new spending programs by either spending cuts or by tax increases in other areas.

The Republicans promptly changed religion, "You cannot manufacture a consensus for statutory controls when the consensus for budget discipline is not strong enough," said Representative Jim Nussle, Republican of Iowa and chairman of the House Budget Committee. "I do not believe, unfortunately, there is a broad enough consensus necessary to enact budget controls into law."

The Senate, the House, and the administration are dominated by allegedly fiscally responsible Republicans, and they can't find a consensus for controlling government spending?

Conspicuously absent from the Republican Party Platform is any mention of balancing the budget. Four years ago the platform included the plank, ''We reaffirm our support for a constitutional amendment to require a balanced budget." This year: Gone.

In light of that, it shouldn't be a surprise that, as President Bush bad-mouths his opponent's $2 trillion proposals, Bush's proposals are estimated to cost more than twice as much! Over $4 TRILLION DOLLARS! How does he think he's going to pay for them?

John Kerry has an excellent Senate record of fiscal responsibility. He was a key player in helping President Clinton balance the budget in the 90's, and more recently he put his political career on the line to vote against the irresponsible Republican version of the $87 billion Iraq bill, because Republicans chose to borrow the money and increase the deficit and the national debt, rather than adopt the Democrat's fiscally responsible version of the exact same bill.

Kerry may be proposing some ambitious programs if elected, but he's promised he will "sacrifice some of his priorities, if necessary, to control spending."