RUSH: The transportation department furloughs are over because Jim Bunning and the Democrats struck a deal. ‘Furloughs at the Department of Transportation have come to an end and employees are to return to work Wednesday.’
Man, I pity all those poor transportation workers that had to take an entire day off from work, with pay. It’s tough out there. ‘In a press release Tuesday evening, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said, ‘I am pleased that the Senate has acted to break its logjam and extend the Highway Trust Fund for another 30 days. This means that our valued employees may return to work. It also means that their important work getting the economy back on its feet, ensuring Americans’ safety and keeping critical construction projects moving will be able to continue.” Wow, who knew that the Department of Transportation had such heady responsibilities like creating jobs. I thought that was Obama’s gig. Anyway, speaking of Jim Bunning, I think we need to applaud the guy, and I think he has shown the way. The Jim Bunning approach should be used across the board now. If the Democrats are going to violate the budget reconciliation process, if they are going to violate it, then shut the damn place down. Shut it down. It’s time to take a serious stand. There’s enough talk that’s gone on now.
It really is time for Republicans to stand for the people who are paying for all of this, and that’s us. Government is not supposed to be about redistribution and subsidies and payouts and bribes and kickbacks to union people. It is supposed to be about promoting a healthy society and freedom for the individual within an ordered system called the Constitution. It is time, folks, to start kicking ass against the welfare state. It is time to stop this. Jim Bunning showed the way. Use the Senate rules to force senators to actually vote and debate and take a stand on this stuff. Ignore the media which is now attempting to make Bunning out to be a lunatic fringe kook and they’re trying to portray Republicans as embarrassed by the guy. Why is this controversial? Why at all is it controversial? Who cares what the Washington hacks say about it? They’re now being dismissed by the people. What in the world is controversial about a man standing up and saying, ‘We don’t have the money. We got a rule here that says we’re gonna pay for it before we spend it. And we’re not paying for it here so I’m not going to let it happen.’ And that’s controversial.
We’re running a one-and-a-half trillion-dollar deficit. It’s only going to get worse. Our total national debt is 13, $14 trillion. You want to see our future if we don’t get our hands around this? ‘Greece has announced a new austerity plan worth six-and-a-half billion dollars in savings to deal with the country’s unprecedented financial crisis. A government spokesman said the measures are split between tax increases, new revenues, and spending cuts. He said Wednesday the measures include trimming civil servants’ annual salaries with a 30% cut in their holiday bonuses, freezing pensions, and imposing further cuts on stipends and bonuses.’ Greece also increased the sales tax from 19% to 21%. They raised taxes on adult beverages, cigarettes, luxury cars, yachts, precious stones, and leather goods. Speaking to reporters after the meeting a government guy said, ‘It’s necessary for the survival of our country and our economy.’ You see how they do this? They make it so dire, so catastrophic, the only answer is more taxes, and these taxes will not produce more revenue. I believe the spending cuts when I see them.