Washington, Aug 31 -

“Earmark reform will be high on the agenda when Congress returns next week,” notes an article in the New York Sun:

“…and it's about time. Public outrage over wasteful spending, epitomized by porkbarrel earmarks, has been raging for months, but reform has been stalled along with a larger lobbying reform package. If a lobbying reform conference report fails to emerge, House Majority Leader John Boehner has promised to move earmark reform as standalone legislation.”

The article echoed a joint statement released by Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL), Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), and Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier (R-CA) in July which said:

“If the House and Senate have not produced a final lobbying and ethics reform conference report by the time we return from our August district work period in September, the House will move to immediately adopt and implement a comprehensive earmark reform rules change independent of the ongoing lobbying and ethics reform discussions to ensure these new rules apply to all spending and tax measures that will go to the President’s desk this fall.”

Capitol Hill Democrats overwhelmingly opposed earlier efforts at earmark reforms, which would help reduce the number of earmarks and bring more accountability to government spending.  Unfortunately, earmark reforms aren’t the only things Democrats have opposed – in fact, when it comes to fiscal responsibility, the only thing Democrats know how to say is, “NO”:

• Capitol Hill Democrats voted “NO” on a fiscally responsible budget that holds the line on spending.
• Capitol Hill Democrats voted “NO” on the line item veto measure.
• Capitol Hill Democrats voted “NO” on common sense budget reforms aimed at reducing the deficit.
• Capitol Hill Democrats voted “NO” on tax relief that has helped working families and, as CBO recently announced, has made real progress in driving the deficit.
• Capitol Hill Democrats voted “NO” on a new Medicare prescription drug benefit rooted in choice and private competition that is driving down costs for American seniors and taxpayers alike.
• Capitol Hill Democrats voted “NO” on the Deficit Reduction Act, a successful effort to slow the growth of federal entitlement spending by $40 billion over five years.

In contrast, House Republicans have been working all year to rein in the federal budget and hold the line on spending.  Pro-growth economic policies implemented by a Republican Congress, coupled with renewed focus on spending taxpayer dollars wisely, have made real progress in driving down the federal deficit.  And while Democrats have attempted to add more than $45 billion in new spending to appropriations bills this year alone, House Republicans have successfully opposed every penny.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and her band of Capitol Hill Democrats also say they want to implement “pay as you go” budget rules, which is simply code for, “crippling tax hikes and more wasteful spending.” 

There is a clear choice between Republicans who are working to enact serious reforms that grow the economy and reduce the deficit, and Capitol Hill Democrats who want to tax you more so they can spend more.