WeAllCut, Contressman Cantor, Not Just UCut

When at an American Heritage conference Congressman Eric Cantor of Virginia was pressed to specifically name some the earmarks he would vote to cut in his proposed “UCut” program, he typically deflected the question by launching into a blame-the-Democrats-for-everything tirade, Later, when pressed in a Congressional debate if he would cut funding for a proposed Washington-Richmond high-speed rail project, he sheepishly responded that he couldn’t because the project would create 160,000 jobs in his state.

Well, for Mr. Cantor’s information, virtually all members of Congress, Democrats and Republicans alike, have pet earmarks that they swear would create thousands of jobs for their constituents. So Congressman’s Cantor’s UCuts would only exacerbate the divisive scramble for the dwindling national wealth and, consequently, yet another round of borrowing and deficit spending, not exactly what the nation needs to balance its budget and break out of the economic mess it’s in.

Congressman’s Cantor’s proposed Ucuts, it should be further noted, are limited to discretionary spending, a small fraction of the total Federal budget. To really cut back, the cuts must come from entitlement and mandatory spending—Social Security, Medicare and the military—though it’s not likely that many politicos would risk their careers by totally butchering those sacred cows.

The most reasonable solution to date has been the one proposed by interim Republican Florida Senator George LeMieux (who, to his credibility was not running for office and therefore could afford to be objective) Mr. LeMiex suggested that every Federal program be cut by 10%, across the board, which is pretty much what state governors, who, by law, have to balance their budgets, are in the process of doing. WeAllcut, Mr. Cantor, not just UCut.