Paying for the Recovery, pt. II

Republicans are increasingly divided over how to pay for the cost of the hurricane clean-up:

Congressional Republicans from across the ideological spectrum yesterday rejected the White House's open-wallet approach to rebuilding the Gulf Coast, a sign that the lockstep GOP discipline that George W. Bush has enjoyed for most of his presidency is eroding on Capitol Hill.Trying to allay mounting concerns, White House budget director Joshua B. Bolten met with Republican senators for an hour after their regular Tuesday lunch. Senators emerged to say they were annoyed by the lack of concrete ideas for paying the Hurricane Katrina bill.

I think we knew that the staggering estimate for the cost of recovery was going to send members of the GOP into a tither. They can't figure out how they can still get their tax cuts and spending cuts so they can continue trying to strangle the federal government in the bath tub. The responses vary from more "offsets", more tax cuts, freezing tax cuts scheduled to take effect this year, rolling back tax cuts, and closing their eyes and wishing this problem would go away. And of course, someone had to wonder aloud if New Orleans really needs all that money and "recovery":

New Orleans also has emerged as the chief target of angst. "The question is do we really want to flood New Orleans with money," said Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.).

Did he really just say that? Did he think that was clever?


You know it's shame that it takes a natural disaster, and a so far unknown death toll, for Republicans to realize that they can't have their cake and eat it too. To be fair, there is some suspicion that the Bush approach to recovery-they can't throw enough money at it-is more about saving his presidency then saving New Orelans, but in truth it's the right thing to do, and yes the rest of us should be willing to pay for it. But it means no more talk of cutting the "death" tax, no more talk of extending the original tax cuts, and no more passing of huge "reform" bills without the means to pay for it. In other words it means growing up and running the country responsibly. It's a tough adjustment to make.