It's Finance, Stupid

The focus will be on the House of Representatives, because the GOP actually won a majority of seats in the House. The GOP gained seats all across the map from the Northeast (New Hampshire, New Jersey and New York) to the South to the Midwest (notably Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin).

Because the GOP actually controls the House, GOP leaders will come into national focus. Presumptive Speaker of the House John Boehner will play a large role and carry a big megaphone. Other House GOP leaders will gain prominence.

The key here is that all appropriations bills must originate in the House. Thus, the GOP-controlled House can take the initiative on cutting the size of government through the budget process. It is imperative for the US to cut the deficit and cut it now. It really doesn't matter how good sounding the programs are, the numbers just don't add up. I don't care if you include a line item to send a dozen roses each to my wife, my mother and my daughter every day for five years or give money to straighten the teeth of underprivileged children in Appalachia or to build a statue to the memory of Mother Theresa. It doesn't matter how wonderful the cause, the fact is that the money isn't there. WE HAVE TO CUT THE DEFICIT TO ZERO!

That is the imperative.

Look, I am strongly pro-life. I always have been. My Parish Respect Life Committee will shoot me if they actually read this blog but the fact is that there is no mandate to pass social legislation in this next Congress. None. There is no mandate to address marriage, gay or otherwise. There is no mandate to address the right bear arms, or to arm bears. There is no mandate to address the right to life or a woman's right to choose.

The fact is that no matter how you might feel about the various social issues, there will be no American Government to protect either the right to life or the right to choose if we continue to run 1.4 trillion dollar annual deficits. There will be no American Government to protect the sanctity of marriage or the civil rights of any Americans if we go bankrupt as a nation. And bankrupt we will be if we run one or two more 1.4 trillion dollar deficits.

The number one focus must be balancing the federal budget.

From: Tim Howes

NEXT: IF TED KENNEDY HAD BEEN PRO-LIFE . . .