Fiscal integrity | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's Note: Jim Bispo's weekly column appears in the Beaufort Observer.

    For the last couple of weeks we have been hearing ad nauseam about the debt ceiling, defaulting on our debt, the Boehner plan, the McConnell Plan, the Reid Plan, and of course, the Prez's "big deal" plan. Of course, with the Prez who would expect anything other than a "big deal" plan; not enough specifics for the CBO even to "score", but still a big deal?? Finally, here it is the eleventh hour - in a manner of speaking - and what we are now hearing is a $3T increase in our debt ceiling and $1T of spending cuts with another $2T to be identified by Thanksgiving (and presumably acted on); for a total of $3T in cuts. But wait a minute, if we are going to make cuts of $3T, why do we need a $3T increase in the debt ceiling at all??

    I'll tell you why. It's because both parties are misleading us, big time. It sounds like they are reducing spending, but what they are "reducing" is proposed spending and calling it "savings". This is one area in which both the Dems and the Reps seem to be in absolute lockstep. I would predict that as soon as a lot of folks figure out how badly they are being misled, there will be a ruckus the likes of which has not been heard in Washington for a good long time. There is liable to be a real "dust-up" on Capitol Hill in the short term, and - more important - at the voting booths all over America come Nov. 2012 - and there should be.

    I suppose the politicians can hope that not so many folks connect the two things. On the one hand we are crowing about spending cuts and on the other we are looking at appropriating more money; a lot more money, all of which increases our national debt. So whose idea of integrity do you suppose that represents?? Not mine - and I would think not many other folks either.

    Why do you suppose it is so difficult for so many of us to grasp the notion that spending more this year than we did last year can be counted as a "saving"?? Just goes to show you how dumb the long-suffering taxpayers are. Most of them (us) think that "saving" means spending less than before, not more. Where did we go wrong??

    Figuring out how to handle the national debt and controlling spending seems like child's play compared with trying to instill some honesty and integrity into our Congress - on both sides of the aisle. Talk about Mission Impossible.

    What is particularly disconcerting is that individually a vast majority of our Representatives and Senators seem like honorable and honest folks, but when they get together and start trading horses, they seem to lose all semblance of judgement, honesty, and integrity. When the Prez is able to convince someone that he can change a law with an Executive Order (as he did to get the final "yes vote" for Obamacare - not to mention the Louisiana Purchase and the Cornhusker whatever it was), you can be sure that judgement, honesty and integrity have all gone AWOL.

    But wait. There's likely even more fireworks to come shortly. That will be in September as the fiscal year ends and it becomes necessary for Congress to pass appropriation bills (or Continuing Resolutions) to keep the Government operating (remember the fun we had last December just trying to get the Continuing Resolution out the door??). Of course if it truly is spending we want to stop, perhaps the best thing we could do is go through 2012-13 with Continuing Resolutions. After all, Continuing Resolutions normally authorize spending to continue at current levels. No increased spending is allowed absent an appropriation.

    I suppose the first thing with which the appropriation subcommittees will be faced is, "What is the starting point for the appropriation hearings??" What they decide about that should be interesting.

    In the meantime, it could be that the Dems have created another unintended consequence by failing to approve a budget for the last couple of years - even when they had a large majority in both houses. That would be creating the opportunity to hold down spending with a Continuing Resolution. This time, the unintended consequence could be a real boon for the folks. No spending increase. Wow!!!

    D'ya think??