05/24/2002 Archived Entry: "The Maverick Comes Forth, ends the GOP trifecta"

The Maverick Comes Forth

May 24, 2001:

Text of Sen. Jeffords' Announcement

Worse Than Drunken Sailors
Despite the fact that the Republicans control the White House, the House of Representatives, and 30 governorships, the nation is now in the midst of the biggest government spending spree since LBJ. Incredibly, the domestic social welfare budget has expanded more in just two years ($96 billion) under George W. Bush than in Bill Clinton's first six years in office ($51 billion).... Sure, the Democrats in Congress share a big part of the blame. The spending spree has worsened now that Tom Daschle is running the Senate and that prince of pork, Robert C. Byrd, is ruling the appropriations process. But one only need look at the vote on the Farm Bill — a bill that will distribute million-dollar welfare checks to America's wealthiest farm businesses — to see that the pro-spending virus endemic in the Democratic party has spread to the GOP.

Stephen Moore and I would agree on this, both sides are spending to an extreme under the leadership of Bush. This shouldn't come to a surprise to anyone. Under Bush, Texas spending increased at a greater percentage than any of his predecessors. Bush is a big spender, an undisciplined liberal with gov't funding, and doesn't have the fortitude to lead congress with a balanced budget.