Some embarrassing moments: Republicans Can’t Name Any Spending They Want To Cut

[G_j]

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/10/04/video-gop-no-idea-cuts/

VIDEO: When Pressed, Republicans Can’t Name Any Spending They Want To Cut

For the past year and half, Republicans have done little else but urgently demand that the federal government drastically cut spending to reduce the deficit. However, like much of the rest of their agenda, Republicans have been remarkably vague on what they would actually cut.

In interview after interview, journalists have pushed, and even begged, GOP leaders for specifics, always to no avail. When pressed, they hem and haw, often appearing uncomfortable — and in the case of Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH), visibly angry — but can offer nothing more than cop-out answers like repealing unsent stimulus money or an “across the board” cut on all spending. ThinkProgress has compiled some of the more embarrassing of these moments:

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/10/04/video-gop-no-idea-cuts/

The video features, respectively, Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX), Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ), California GOP Senate nominee Carly Fiorina, Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Gregg, and Sen. John Cornyn (R-AZ). This represents a large portion of the GOP leadership, but there are countless other examples as well.

Fiscal conservatives and tea party activists had been hoping that the House GOP’s recently released “Pledge to America” would finally offer specifics on major government cuts — they were almost universally disappointed. After racking up huge deficits under President Bush, Republicans still have no idea — or perhaps desire — to get spending under control.

[elleng]

1. They can't, and they don't.

Dems should mount a huge ad meme on the issue which could be used in many districts, esp those where we're 'in trouble,' showing the people that repugs have nothing more than hot air.

[TexasObserver]

2. recommend

[alsame]

3. They can't admit what they want to cut - education, SS, Medicare,

Medicaid, unemployment benefits, etc. Basically anything that helps an average American is up for grabs.

[Qutzupalotl]

21. Right! Which is why we need to keep asking them at every opportunity.

Make them squirm. If they say too much, they make their base happy but lose the election. If they say nothing, their base thinks they're weak. It's win-win!

[ejpoeta]

4. that's because they aren't really interested in cutting spending.

their interest is in putting it on our tab and then leaving us to pay for it. I try to explain that to my family who seem to think the likes of carl paladino are going to go in there and fix everything. but they refuse to listen.

[11 Bravo]

5. Wow! Intellectually dishonest Republicans! Who would have ever guessed?

[kas125]

6. I've asked several people exactly what services or programs

they'd cut if we got the "smaller government" they keep saying they want. Not a single one of them can answer the question. They all change the subject and get angry when I press the matter. My friend's two cousins deleted her from their facebook friends after I asked them and it began a huge family discussion that didn't end well. It's just sad that the republicans/teabaggers have so many people convinced that working or even voting against their own interests is what they want when they really have no clue.

[G_j]

7. it makes me sad

my brother is like that. He repeats memes he hears, but never actually researches anything. It's frustrating. I try to be calm and see these as 'teachable moments', but it doesn't always work that way.

[kas125]

14. Yeah, I have a few relatives like that, too. One of them refuses

to listen to anything but what he already believes. Once when I sent him several links, including Snopes, to try to show him that something he believed was false, he said, "You can find websites to back up any argument, no matter what it is on the internet. You can't believe what you read on the web." It is very difficult to deal with sometimes. We try not to discuss politics, but somehow always end up there anyway.

[gratuitous]

9. Usually, they come up with "foreign aid"

And when you point out what a miniscule percentage of the budget that is, and how much of that goes to Israel, they really start flailing. Stay out of range of the wild arms and legs and it's a pretty amusing spectacle.

[HughBeaumont]

15. Durrr. It means they have to justify ending teachers, cops, librarians and firemen's careers.

While also having to justify ballooning the deficit so the wealthy can still be even wealthier and still not create jobs unless they're in an Asian nation of some sort.

Weaseling and squirming is not to their liking. Only wish reporters had this kind of a spine around Boehoehoehoehner and McPaleMan.

[Winterblues]

8. Repeal Stimulus... don't the idiots know over one third of the Stimulus was tax cuts..

:shrug: give back them tax cuts right now......

[hfojvt]

10. hey now, is this really fair?

After all, most of the Republicans in office DID vote to cut Veteran's benefits, so it's not like they won't actually vote to cut things if they are elected.

[Control-Z]

11. The video is

private. Do you have another link so we can view it?

[G_j]

12. "This video has been removed by the user."

don't know what prompted that..
:shrug:

[G_j]

23. it's now back and working, nt

[rrneck]

13. They can't because

big business either has a revenue stream derived from those government programs or plans to create one.

[Hubert Flottz]

16. Too Cowardly...they like to do their dirty work behind closed doors.

They'd whack every old person, poor person or kid in the country today, if they thought they'd get away with it.

[EC]

17. I don't understand why - but I'm happy about is that

Chris Wallace on Fox has been asking them this question...so we have repubs looking uncomfortable and dumb on Fox....Hope he keeps it up...even though I won't be watching, I'll see them on U-tube just like so many others are...

[doc03]

18. I gotta give Rand Paul and that dickhead from

Alaska Miller credit they are honest enough to say they will cut SS, Medicare and the minimum wage.

[thereismore]

19. Spending really is out of control... on the MILITARY. Bring them home! nt

[NYC Liberal]

20. Oh, they know exactly what they want to cut. They just won't say it before the election

lest people realize what they're voting for.

[Blue Owl]

22. They got nothin'

NOTHIN' but hollow, empty talking points, spoon-fed to their mouth-breathing pieholes by corporate overlords lurking behind the fear curtain.

[Kievan Rus]

24. Tom Corbett (running for PA governor, R) wants to cut stuff but never specifies what

[JuniperLea]

25. But they are so sure that's what they want to do!!eleven

"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." - Bertrand Russell

[G_j]

26. perfect

quote
:thumbsup: