Billy Long Not Fed Up Enough with Federal Spending: Debt Ceiling Increase Assured

Being a legislator in Washington DC isn't a hard job. It requires common sense, but unfortunately many of the Republican freshman who road the wave of Tea Party anger to November victories either didn't have the common sense to begin with or quickly drank the Potomac Kool-Aid. I think Billy Long is the poster child of the dishonesty in Washington DC coming from the new freshman class. Let me explain.

Long ran on the promise he was fed up with Washington. Fed up with wasteful federal spending. Fed up with career politicians. Let's be honest here. Long hasn't proven to be fed up with any of this. If you need proof, consider his vote for Boehner's meager $4 billion cuts in order to keep the government running. This is a joke, as Long continues to tweet more soundbites pretending he gets it. He doesn't. Even tweeting, things like "the more government borrows, spends, and regulates, the harder it is... yada, yada, yada.

Long hasn't done anything serious directed at cutting government spending. When you look at HR1, the failed $100 billion promise, Long didn't offer one amendment to cut government spending, and then he voted to continue funding for things like federally sponsored NASCAR teams. Yet, he brags that we got the $100 billion in spending cuts done, when in fact, they didn't even get close. They got $61 billion. Let me explain why Long's celebration for these meager cuts and Boehner's illusion of debt cutting in order to keep the federal government operating.

It comes down to this. Congressman Long and the Republican's inability to cut any substantial federal spending ensures the debt ceiling will be raised. The Congressional Budget Office released the staggering number, in order to avoid raising the debt ceiling, Congress must cut $740 billion in spending before the approximate date of April 15. Any cut they make will be negated by the debt ceiling increase, which basically gives Congress permission by providing room to spend more.

Raising the debt ceiling assures more federal debt. In other words these meager cuts Long is voting for and then bragging about are meaningless. They will be consumed time and again because they are not deep enough to prevent having to raise the debt ceiling, and we know Republicans are hinting they will compromise.

So any spending cut the Republicans make or fail to make are leading to the inevitable, unless of course, they are willing to grow a pair and prove they can make needed cuts to prevent the debt ceiling for increasing. Once it increases, you can count on another vote to increase it a few more months down the line again unless Congress decides to make the tough choices and start slashing.