Republicans Want to Rein in Spending. No, Really.

Remember when the Repubican party was known as the party of fiscal conservatism? Well, they are trying at least:

The latest effort to restore fiscal responsibility comes in the form of a Spending Limit Constitutional Amendment. The Republican Study Committee (RSC) is targeting out of control federal spending in order to equalize federal government spending with national economic growth.

Their goal is to decrease the burden on American families, so that the budget does not increase more than the collective incomes of those families.

I would have been happier with “so that the budget does not increase.” For me, here is the saddest paragraph in the article:

About ten members of the RSC represented the amendment at the press conference, including earmark reform leader Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and RSC Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-Tex.).

Hensarling reminded listeners that “as bad as Republicans are, Democrats are a thousand times worse,” not only on spending but by raising taxes every time they can. He said there are many budgetary concerns on the agenda but all “pale in comparison” to the “greater concern” for a “future where our children have their taxes doubled.”

You know, how about just saying, “We’re sorry. We promised to be responsible with your tax dollars, and we weren’t. We spent like drunken sailors on shore leave. It is an embarrassment and we will do better. We don’t expect you to take our word on it, but we will prove our commitment through responsible stewardship of your tax dollars.”

It took me four minutes to write that and would have gone a lot farther than “Well, we suck, but look at the massive suckiness of these guys.”

Rep Tom Fleeney hit tht nail on the head with this questions: “Why must this rise to the level of a constitutional amendment?”

RSC members agreed that federal spending has become so ridiculous that dramatic action must be invoked. The amendment, described as “simple and straightforward” by Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.), bars federal spending from exceeding 20% of GDP.

…

The RSC members agreed that the amendment would be a tremendous step forward for the Republican Party and for the American people overall. Idaho Rep. Bill Sali (R) called it “go[ing] back to the vision of the Founding Fathers” by implementing necessary “restraint.”

Don’t pretend that this Congress is in any way interesting in “going back to the vision of the Founding Fathers.” When they get rid of farm subsidies, oil subsidies, earmarks, the Departments of Education, Energy and Health and Human Services I’ll believe they might be interested in that.

Until then, I don’t know if they understand the “vision of the Founding Fathers.” All they have to do is stop spending so much. They don’t need a constitutional amendment to be responsible.