And Conservatives Vote For This Clown?

The JG's Sylvia Smith has a story about the game of chicken the Republicans are playing with the Alternative Minimum Tax. I wrote about this a few days ago and let readers know that the Republicans don't want to pay for the AMT relief this year - they simply want to add it to the debt. Now I'm sure this doesn't surprise many conservatives as they've watched this group spend like drunken sailors for years. In fact I rarely find anybody that even makes the "Republicans are fiscal conservatives" argument anymore.

But for those of you that still (for whatever reason) think Congressman Mark Souder is a fiscal conservative I give you the latest example of his irresponsible behavior:

Over the years, Souder has supported legislation to increase the AMT exemptions, but he voted against the Democrats’ version this year because of the bill’s tax increases on the high-income groups. He said a better option would be to approve the one-year patch and add the cost to the deficit.

“Raising taxes is a greater threat than small extensions of raising the debt,” he said.

Did you get that? Souder would rather add more money to the deficit than pay for middle class tax cuts! And small extension? It's going to cost $50 BILLION for this year alone you jackass. But hey, what's $50 Billion among out-of-touch Beltway bureaucrats? Are there any fiscal conservatives out there willing to defend Souder's position? It's his mentality that's caused nearly all of our current financial problems.

Will the 3rd District please wake up and send this clown packing...

The Modern Republican Party is a Joke

The national Republican party has become a complete laughingstock. They have no principles and lack anything resembling fiscal responsibility. This last week Democrats have worked to pass an AMT bill that would patch the system for this year and keep 25 Million people from paying higher taxes. Of course the Democrats wanted to keep the "pay-go" system in place - pay-go is the simple idea of "pay-as-you-go" meaning any new program or tax-cut must be paid for and cannot simply be added to the national debt. Democrats brought pay-go back this session after Republicans had abandoned it in favor of Bush's tax cuts - it was much easier for them to give tax cuts without reducing spending.

So the Democrats want to actually pay for AMT relief by closing the loopholes given to certain investors in the Virgin Islands and other wealthy expatriates that relinquished their citizenship to avoid paying their taxes. But the Republicans filibustered that bill and even went so far as to say they wouldn't approve any bill under pay-go rules.

If you want to see how out of touch and fiscally irresponsible the modern Republican party has become just listen to the Republicans top senator on the FINANCE committee, Charles Grassley:

The Finance Committee’s top Republican, Charles Grassley of Iowa, said it was time for Democrats to abandon their “pay-go obsession,” referring to the “pay-as-you-go” principle that tax cuts or spending increases should be paid for so as not to add to the federal deficit.

Well there you have it in black and white. The Republican Party is officially against fiscal responsibility. Just add another $50 Billion to the national debt what the hell - it's not your generation's money right?

Just another reason why Republicans are going to get their clocks cleaned in 2008...