CBO: Boehner's Plan Only Cuts 2012 Deficit by $1 Billion

So far, speaker Boehner's performance in the budget battle has been mixed. That's the best that can be said about it really.

Not too long ago, we witnessed the terribly embarrassing budget cut debacle. He pushed for the "huge" cuts of 100 billion, which got lowered to 36 billion, which the CBO finally revealed to be a mere 353 Million. His "massive" budget cut that he "fought so hard to get" was less than .01% of the Federal budget.

Color me unimpressed.

Next, he really earned some respect by sticking to his guns about a balanced budget amendment. Such an amendment looks like the only thing that can stop Washington's addiction to spending other people's money. Neither of the parties are willing to propose plans that come anywhere near eliminating the budget, so a constitutional requirement is the only thing that can restrain them.

Of course, we all knew that sort of principled stand was too good to be true. The current deal being pushed by Boehner requires a vote on a balanced budget amendment in exchange for a debt cap raise. Note the crucial difference here. Boehner doesn't insist such a vote pass, merely that it happen. We already know the democrats have no inclination to vote for such a thing, and I feel confident more than a few Republicans will decide such an amendment would "hurt the military" or "threaten social security' and chicken out when the vote actually happens. So, Boehner is back to his comfortable political theater. Pretend to be a budget hawk, and roll over after token concessions.

The CBO has issued another harsh indictment of Speaker Boehner. They have done the math on his latest budget plan, and it will cut a mere 1 billion dollars out of the 2012 budget. Compare that to our annual budget of about 3.7 trillion of which at least 1.5 trillion is deficit spending.

That's right, all the commotion, terror, panic, and arguments are being conducted over a mere .027% of our budget. If that isn't the definition of political theater nothing is. The fact that Boehner is the Republican speaker demolishes any claims that the Republican party stands for small government.

It's time for America to demand his resignation, and a replacement who is willing to do what is right for America. Our nation is heading off the cliff to fiscal oblivion. We passed the crucial 100% Debt to GDP limit months ago. Even that dismal figure is based on fraudulent government accounting. We are at nearly 100% debt to GDP if un-funded entitlement spending is included.

The days for easy fixes and small changes are decades past. We have built a giant house of cards, and the higher it gets the harder the inevitable crash afterwards will be. If America is going to survive, in a very literal sense, we need drastic painful changes today. Speaker Boehner has shown time and again that he isn't capable of doing what needs to be done. He is merely a spineless compromiser who is adept in fooling the American voter.

Rational Public Radio is an Objectivist podcast and blog, a.k.a., the rallying center for reasoned warriors in the fight to gain and keep individual freedom.