The Party of NO is like an expensive frat party!
There may be “no shame in being the party of no,” according to Sarah Palin, but it sure is damned expensive, Vanity Fair says. In honor of Tax Day, the magazine set out to discover “Just how much money are taxpayers spending on the Republican Party’s commitment to doing exactly nothing.” The answer is evidently $1.32 billion, which includes $47.9 million for congressional salaries; $231.3 million for congressional aides; $163.1 million in health, retirement and other benefits; $533.1 million in paper clips, free postage, and other office expenses; $281.4 million in building maintenance; and $63.5 million in lost federal revenue due to tax-exempt donations to conservative think tanks. As for the latter, as Vanity Fair put it, “Sure, they’ve come up with some interesting ideas. When Republicans enact any of them, you can take this item off the list.”
PrairiePopulistsAndProgressives.net 
And let’s not forget what these fiscal responsible Republicans did after the 2008 election. This was the party that lost many, many seats in Congress but yet kept ALL their previous Congressional Staff.
But yet these are the people that claim to hate bloated government?
LOL they would argue that they are doing what they were elected to do so it is not waste.
But of course it is waste and they are living in their own form of reality.
This is such an excellent argument to use against the people who SAY they are against “tax and spend” but are only against it if the taxes are being spent to HELP people rather than to kill them in other countries.
But then such people probably have a rationalization at the ready. They usually do.
I read a little snippet from an interview with Supreme Court Justice Breyer. He said the Court’s case load today is a third less than it was 20 years ago. He attributed that to the lack of major legislation passed by Congress. No legislation passed, no controversy over interpretation of the new laws. He also said that four years from now there won’t be a lack of cases before our highest court — lots of legislation, lots of work accomplished by Congress will result in lots of cases.
So today our highest Court is seeing the result of the do-nothing Republican dominated Congress we had for 12 years. And in their future they’ll see many cases because of the legislation being passed now by a Democratic controlled Congress.
Can someone list what the Republicans have accomplished? What legislation has a Republican dominated Congress passed?
Anyone?
Let me, I know…..
No Child Left Behind – that federal, unfunded, bloated government program that produced smarter kids?
Or the Medicare Drug Program – another federal bloated govdernment program that produced greater profits for drug manufacturers?
Stopped by just to say hi. A guest post, if I might:
Where would we be without adults around to tell the kids “no”? Now the Republicans in Congress have done a lousy job of late saying no to programs that buy votes with taxpayer money.
But it could be worse. If the Dems had their way, we would have the original cap and trade (tax) bill already crippling our economy, a government run European style health care system, an impotent military, a welfare state requiring no work of anyone, an incredible tax burden etc…
We might even get into a situation where 50% of the population doesn’t even pay Fed Income Taxes.
Why in the world would anyone think that legislation always equals good?
According to the Tea party only 47% of Americans pay federal taxes now. See the Millbank Thread above.
How is it sticking it to more poor people is going to make this country better? The Tea Party hasn’t convinced me yet.
Let me tell you how happy Griffin and I are to be among the other 53%. Because if you don’t pay income taxes to the federal government you are struggling much more than others just to keep the roof over your head and feed your family. You are struggling to pay all the other taxes we face daily — sales, property, state, local… I feel true compassion for all people in that mess, and there are so many more today than there were before the current recession that began in late 2008.
I also thank President Obama for his efforts and effective governance which kept our country from sinking into depression. His policies allowed our country to avoid worse than we’ve experienced! I have confidence we will continue to improve. Next step must be financial regulations — which the Republicans are, of course, opposing.
The Party of Hell No who don’t do anything when they are in the majority and work toward preventing progress when they’re not. Then they pout, scream, file lawsuits when progress is accomplished in spite of their best efforts!
If we had elected McCain we’d be at war with another country, and in a depression. He said just this week it’s time to pull the trigger.
What part of collapse of our entire economy under Repubican Bush is not considered ‘crippling’?
A government run health system is bad except for when Medicare takes care of alot of those Republicans?
A welfare state requiring no work of anyone – would that be anything like a welfare state requiring no corporation to keep their jobs in America rather than outsourcing them when those same corporations receive subsidies or tax breaks?
You mean things like that?
Hi outlander. Feel free to be a guest anytime. Or, pull up a chair and make yourself at home whenever you want.
Saying ‘no’ to policies and plans they differ with is one thing, another is doing nothing when they’re in the majority.
If we used your example of adults telling children no, that would mean when the adults are alone with no children to monitor, they don’t have to worry about doing their jobs at all? Their only function is to obstruct? OK, that explains it. I have seen it in action, just never before heard anyone admit it.
You know what bothers me? Tea Partiers and Republicans are ranting and raving about the massive federal spending.
Okay, I don’t like the federal massive spending either.
But alot of that massive spending would have NOT been necessary if the Republicans would have not been so obsessed with pushing their own agenda of money, more money and more money for only those selected few – like private contractors in the Iraq War for profit.
Without the Republicans’ years of total lack of fiscal responsibility, there would have been no need for alot of the massive spending Obama had to push through.
Did you notive not one of those Wall Street fat cats refused that federal massive spending when the government check had their name on it -did they?
Just like I don’t see any Republicans refusing to take Medicare benefits because they are so worried about leaving that massive debt to their children and grandchildren.
When Republicans start to walk the walk and stop the trashing talk – then maybe I’ll listen to them!
notive = notice
I remember John McCain singing his little song – bomb, bomb, bomb Iran during the presidential campaign.
Bush/Cheney pushed their agenda for the Iraq War for profit even if it meant borrowing massive amounts of dollars from China.
But yet I hear Republicans bemoaning the fact that they are the party labeled as the war mongerers.
Why, wherever would anyone get an idea that Republican likes war?
sarcasm/off
Hi outlander. Feel free to be a guest anytime. Or, pull up a chair and make yourself at home whenever you want
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Thank you Linda. I’m not the type that posts on every topic I see so I appreciate the chance to post when something peaks my interest.