About two months ago Mark Pryor asked for specific ideas concerning where to cut federal spending. I have provided several dozen to him. However, my question now is DOES MARK PRYOR REALLY WANT TO PUT FORTH THESE SPENDING IDEAS I HAVE PRESENTED TO HIM? Recently he was asked about the exploding federal deficit and Paul Greenberg wrote about his response.
Paul Greenberg takes on Mark Pryor in June 7, 2011 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette:
What, political games?
Our senator is shocked—shocked!
MARK PRYOR came home last week to tour a school in Little Rock. It is good for U.S. senators to get out of Washington now and then. Maybe as often as possible. The country can breathe easier when Congress isn’t in session. Besides, leaving the nation’s capital can be good for the digestion, congestion, comprehension and general well-being. Also, getting your picture taken with kids at a local school isn’t bad politics. And never let it be said that Mark Pryor isn’t good at politicking.
He’s very good.
While he was touring Mabelvale Elementary, shaking hands with the little ’uns, and praising tutors at the school, some smarty-pants media type asked him about the federal debt ceiling and whether Congress should raise it. Good question. At last bodacious count, the feds need more than $14 trillion to get the country out of debt. But it’s not as if government needs to reduce expenses in hard times—like the rest of us ordinary mortals. The federal government just keeps raising its debt ceiling again and again, no matter what picky outfits like Moody’s may say about its credit rating.
So what does the senior senator from Arkansas say about all this? Yes, No, even a definite Maybe? None of the above. Instead, he deplores all this partisan bickering in Washington. Smart move. Deploring is always a lot easier than actually saying what he thinks should be done about the national debt. We told you Mark Pryor was good at politicking.
AH, GOOD old Congressional Bickering. Denouncing it is the first resort of any pol who’d rather dodge a question than respond to it. Congressional Bickering could be defined as: the default response when the other party has some questions about how your party is running things. Senator Pryor uses it a lot.
This time it seems some of those troublesome Republicans in Congress are whining again about all this debt the feds keep putting on the national credit card. And the interest keeps growing. Just the debt service on that $14 trillion in the red now stands at $214 billion a year, and is expected to rise to $931 billion in 10 years. Take $931 billion here and $931 billion there, and pretty soon you’re talking real money. The kind of debt that weighs down the whole national economy—a danger that’s only an abstract talking point until investment slows, jobs aren’t created or saved, and our own suddenly becomes iffy. Not a pleasant situation.
But if you listen to Mark Pryor, not that we’d necessarily recommend it, for his conversation tends to be less than edifying, the only thing to be done about the national debt isn’t anything specific. Just be nice. Wave a word like Consensus over the whole, multiplying problem and presto! All will be well. For example:
“This is one of the problems we face as a nation,” the senator told reporters. “In Washington, people just can’t agree on a bipartisan basis. We need to build consensus in Washington. It’s good for the country and for its future to do that.”
Yes, yes, there are too many narrowminded partisans in Washington playing political games. It’s not good for the country. A very reasonable point. Very responsible. Very statesman. Very Mark Pryor—a platitude a minute.
He’s very good.
While he was touring Mabelvale Elementary, shaking hands with the little ’uns, and praising tutors at the school, some smarty-pants media type asked him about the federal debt ceiling and whether Congress should raise it. Good question. At last bodacious count, the feds need more than $14 trillion to get the country out of debt. But it’s not as if government needs to reduce expenses in hard times—like the rest of us ordinary mortals. The federal government just keeps raising its debt ceiling again and again, no matter what picky outfits like Moody’s may say about its credit rating.
So what does the senior senator from Arkansas say about all this? Yes, No, even a definite Maybe? None of the above. Instead, he deplores all this partisan bickering in Washington. Smart move. Deploring is always a lot easier than actually saying what he thinks should be done about the national debt. We told you Mark Pryor was good at politicking.
AH, GOOD old Congressional Bickering. Denouncing it is the first resort of any pol who’d rather dodge a question than respond to it. Congressional Bickering could be defined as: the default response when the other party has some questions about how your party is running things. Senator Pryor uses it a lot.
This time it seems some of those troublesome Republicans in Congress are whining again about all this debt the feds keep putting on the national credit card. And the interest keeps growing. Just the debt service on that $14 trillion in the red now stands at $214 billion a year, and is expected to rise to $931 billion in 10 years. Take $931 billion here and $931 billion there, and pretty soon you’re talking real money. The kind of debt that weighs down the whole national economy—a danger that’s only an abstract talking point until investment slows, jobs aren’t created or saved, and our own suddenly becomes iffy. Not a pleasant situation.
But if you listen to Mark Pryor, not that we’d necessarily recommend it, for his conversation tends to be less than edifying, the only thing to be done about the national debt isn’t anything specific. Just be nice. Wave a word like Consensus over the whole, multiplying problem and presto! All will be well. For example:
“This is one of the problems we face as a nation,” the senator told reporters. “In Washington, people just can’t agree on a bipartisan basis. We need to build consensus in Washington. It’s good for the country and for its future to do that.”
Yes, yes, there are too many narrowminded partisans in Washington playing political games. It’s not good for the country. A very reasonable point. Very responsible. Very statesman. Very Mark Pryor—a platitude a minute.
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Will Mark Pryor truly be willing to cut federal spending or he is just playing games?
The Daily Hatch 