GOP Going Wobbly

Margaret Thatcher had a great line about less than reliable allies.  She used to say, they were going wobbly on us.

I have to wonder if the GOP in the House is going wobbly on us.

The GOP rode into town this week and promised to cut $100 Billion from this year’s budget.   Suddenly that was cut to perhaps $50 billion.    The lame stream media said the GOP was discovering how hard it was to govern.  Perhaps they were just discovering how easy it was to go along without fighting.

I do not claim to be an expert in the budgeting process, however there are some things that seem obvious.  For this year, the congress has not passed a budget.  The government is funded through March 4^th with a continuing resolution.   The government’s fiscal year begins October 1^st of each year.   Using the numbers for the 2009 budget, of $3.52 trillion, the remaining budget for this year that this congress will address includes about $1.8 trillion in spending.  Out of that, they cannot cut $100 billion?

It would seem they are either unable, or more likely unwilling, to make those cuts.

Without breaking a sweat, Obama is planning to cut $78 billion from defense, which has been eviscerated already.

And the GOP cannot cut $100 billion from the budget?

I bet the Tea Party could figure out some budget cuts.

Here is one budget cut.  Eliminate the “Obama phones.”  The government is now paying for cell phones for people on welfare and the latest is the government will pay for two months of your house phone bill.  All you have to do is be on Foodstamps, Medicaid, SSI, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

As long as you make 135% of the poverty line or less, you can qualify.  This program is paid for by taxes on the phone companies. This is the fastest growing welfare program and the government will spend over $1 billion dollars on it this year.

Phones are not that expensive.  Anyone, even someone on welfare can afford a basic phone.  There is a company that offers phone service for $20 a year.  It is called Magic Jack.   Why do welfare recipients need the government to pay for their phones when there is a service out there that offers phone service for $20 a year?

I saw an ad last night on cable for anglescom.com.  They advertise that if you are on welfare, and sign up with them, the government will pay two months of your phone service.

This company finds it profitable enough to advertise this government program so they can get these people to sign up and have the government pay the company for the phone service for the welfare recipients.

And who is angelcom.com?  It is a company out of Orlando, Florida that resells telephone services for Bell South.

Can anyone say, “corporate welfare?”

House GOP, I think I have found your first billion to cut.