So How Many Unconstitutional Bureaucracies did the Republicans End With Their Meager Budget Cuts?

The main talking point at CPAC this weekend will be the Republicans found $100 billion in spending cuts. Whoopee. Did you know $100 billion totals less than half a percent of the total federal deficit? In other words, the days of big government aren't over.

For the last week, Republicans have been stuck at $32 billion in spending cuts. After getting called out by Rand Paul and the Tea Party, they finally decided they could come up with the additional $68 billion they promised voters before the election in the Pledge to America. I am scratching my head wondering what was so hard about that. Listening to Republicans today, you would think they climbed Mount Everest or something.

So little is known about what the Republicans decided to cut as of now. I am sure come next week there will be more details that come up. Like I said, I am scratching my head. Here's what I am really wondering.

Obviously with only $100 billion in cuts, there a lot of unconstitutional bureaucracies this Congress is going to continue to fund. I have heard Republicans promise so many times they were going to end the EPA, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Education. There is no Constitutional authority for these massive bureaucracies, yet they continue to get funded. I guess what I am trying to say is as Republicans celebrate these meager budget cuts at CPAC, they overlooked some huge targets that could be taken away once and for all like the EPA. I am just wondering...

You know how cap and trade stalled in the Senate, and Obama used executive orders to give the EPA power to regulate carbon anyway, if the Republicans really wanted to fight this, would they defund the EPA like they plan to do with Obamacare. There's an easy $10 billion cut right there based on Obama's 2009 budget proposals. What do you bet it didn't get cut? Makes you wonder if some Republicans see dollar signs too from cap and trade taxes.

What about the Department of Education? I know earlier this week Congressman Billy Long met with members of one school board. Long tweeted local control, local control, local control. So are the Republicans working to end the Department of Education with these cuts and return control of school districts back to the state and local governments?

The federal budget sets aside $46.7 billion to the Department of Education despite the Constitution gives the federal government no powers to regulate education. It's a states' rights issue. There's an easy $56 billion plus cut right there simply by defunding two unconstitutional bureaucracies.


The U.S. Department of Education 2010 Budget -

Let's add the Department of Energy--set up in 1979 to ensure future energy sources at affordable rates, this bureaucracy also has no Constitutional authority and infringes upon states' rights just like the EPA. Considering where we are at today, the department's mission should be considered a complete failure.

In 2009, the Department of Energy received $26.3billion allocated from the federal budget and $38.7 billion in stimulus money. I would love to get that $38.7 billion back and not see it wasted on windmills that have failed in every country they have tried in. If private investors want windmills let them build the windmills. As you know here in Missouri, the Carnahan family received a huge stimulus check to build windmills, which they will profit from. This is a crime.

Chances are we aren't going to get that back, however, if we put an end to the department of energy and return the power to the states guess what will happen? The restrictions on drilling would be lifted and the states would be able to decide whether or not to drill in places where there is oil. This sounds like a better energy policy that continuing to send billions to Middle East. More than $26 billion would be cut.

Just defunding those bureaucracies would save $82 billion this year and more next year. These are the tough decisions that must be made but probably haven't. As Republicans brag during CPAC about their minimal budget cuts, let's not forget the promises of the past that went unfulfilled about ending certain bureaucracies.

The words of Senator Alan Simpson keeps ringing in my head as all the Republicans really have done is the equivalent of a sparrow's belch. The truth is between these bureaucracies, Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, and the military, it's unlikely that Republicans produced leadership that really shows they are serious about tackling the national debt.



“If you hear a politician get up and say, ‘I know we can get this done. We’re going to get rid of all earmarks; all waste, fraud and abuse; all foreign aid; Air Force One; all congressional pensions.’ That’s just sparrow belch in the midst of the typhoon. That’s about six, eight, ten percent of where we are. So, I’m waiting for the politician to get up and say, ‘There’s only one way to do this: You dig into the big four — Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and defense.’ And anybody giving you anything different than that, you want to walk out the door, stick your finger down your throat, and give them the green weenie.”