I got an email today from Senator Patty Murray asking that I join with her to oppose the efforts by the Republican majority in the House of Representatives to reduce the deficit.
Her message came in the form of an appeal for veterans and how the slashing by those mean Republicans would hurt people if we let them get away with it.
I am only sorry that Senator Murray is not in the same situation as Governor Gregoire here in the other Washington. Being forced to balance her budget, Governor Gregoire has come to the realization that the only way forward is to cut services that do affect people. I doubt that anyone likes the part about affecting people, but forced fiscal discipline makes it necessary to make hard choices.
I suspect that if given the opportunity to go into debt to deliver the services as Senator Murray is more than willing to do, Governor Gregoire would also choose to borrow rather than cut programs. That kind of thinking has to stop!
In the face of a $1.6 TRILLION SHORTFALL for 2011, Senator Murray needs to start identifying meaningful programs she is willing to cut. There will always be seniors, children, veterans or some other group that needs help, but in the face of that staggering debt, can we really afford it?
Senator Murray and her Senate colleagues need to offer a spending plan that meets the goal of cutting $61 billion for the existing budget year the House has on the table but preserving the funding for the veterans she is worried about in her email. If the priorities of the Senate Democrats are different than the Republicans, they should offer different programs to cut; understanding that if she saves one here, it will cost somewhere else. That is what balancing a budget does. It forces us to prioritize.
Governor Gregoire has finally learned that the pot of state money is only so large. She and her colleagues in the legislature are involved in that painful process right now. They are weighing the pros and cons and trying to choose their expenditures wisely. We haven’t seen the results of their efforts yet, but they will adopt a balanced budget on April 24th.
This is the same lesson we are trying to convey to the free spenders in our national government. Work within your budget. Prioritize your spending.
If they are having such a hard time dealing with a minuscule $61 billion cut, imagine how much hurt they would be feeling if they actually had to balance their budget and cut the whole $1.6 TRILLION?
Senator Murray is howling about $61 billion in cuts when the deficit for this year is estimated to be over $1 Trillion. That is just 6% of the trillion. There is a serious gap with these folks not just in their budgets, but in their thinking about what the federal government should be providing.
I would support the House of Representatives sticking to their proposed budget for the Continuing Resolution and if the Senate Democrats refuse to play ball, let the chips fall where they may.
When you only control half of the legislative process like the House Republicans do, you have to use whatever tools you have available to advocate for your agenda. Neither the President nor the Senate is likely to give ground unless they are forced to. I would stand by my campaign promises to the voters and let the other side take their chances.
Senator Murray doesn’t have to worry about re-election for a while, so she can be a free spender. Let’s see if the twenty or so Democrats who are up for re-election in 2012 can afford to do the same.
No Loss for Words 
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