Confronting the Culture of Overspending in Washington
February 25, 2011
Confronting the Culture of Overspending in Washington
This week I joined many of my Republican colleagues for the beginning of the end to Washington’s culture of reckless and irresponsible spending. As we considered the continuing resolution, the measure which will fund the government through October, my colleagues and I offered hundreds of amendments to prevent taxpayers from paying billions of dollars for wasteful and duplicative programs.
Many of the items we suggested are better left to the private sector. Many are outside the scope of government’s responsibility. Many are too expensive for the government to handle at this time. Regardless of the reasons, these amendments are all solid first steps in getting our fiscal house back in order.
I have often told people that I will approach the budget process protecting no “sacred cows.” For too long, too many special interests and pet projects have been off-limits for evaluation, let alone elimination. Collectively, these bits of pork have put our country on a path toward bankruptcy. A million here and a million there adds up over time, and now we are facing the third year of trillion-dollar deficits and a $14 trillion-and-growing debt.
My colleagues and I must wield an equal opportunity ax at the President’s expensive budget. In the same way that we took the Pentagon’s advice and voted this week to end $450 million in funding for an unnecessary jet engine, we have to evaluate everything, no matter what political consequences one or two members might pay. The defense budget is sometimes regarded as “untouchable,” but we cannot keep our hands off when there is room for reform; there are many examples of waste, fraud, and abuse. If we fail to tackle such instances of misuse, we compromise the country’s national security. I firmly believe that one of the federal government’s responsibilities is to provide for the common defense, but it must be done with good stewardship.
The old way of doing things – something is better than nothing – is over. We can no longer ignore the big picture and big problems just to bring home the bacon every two years. At the expense of ignoring our long-term obligations, like Social Security and Medicare, previous Congresses decided their efforts (and your tax dollars) would be better directed at funding thousands of these small projects. Sure, constituents benefit from members’ pet projects, but they will hurt even more when out-of-control debts and deficits wreck our economic futures and those of our children.
The first step to changing the culture of spend, spend, spend requires recognition that there is a problem. Double-digit debts and deficits as far as the eye can see will happen if we don't continue to confront the culture of overspending in Washington.