Conservatives Pressure GOP Leaders
``But in this political climate, where even some Republicans
have become big spenders, it's difficult'' to balance the budget.
Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2002
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WASHINGTON (AP) -
House conservatives
looking ahead to the
November elections are
trying to persuade
Republican
congressional leaders
to produce a balanced
budget, but are so far
being met with
skepticism.
The campaign comes as
President Bush
prepares to submit a
$2.1 trillion budget to
Congress next week
that projects an $80
billion deficit for next
year. The last budget
to propose an annual deficit was submitted in February 1997 by
then-President Clinton.
The conservative effort also comes just over nine months before
elections in which control of the House and Senate are at stake.
Some Republicans say they worry that another round of big
spending increases - mostly for defense and homeland security -
will turn off conservative and many independent voters.
Bush will propose letting most federal programs grow by roughly
9 percent this year, congressional aides have said, EXCLUDING
automatic benefits like Medicare. That includes huge increases
he wants for defense and homeland security, with the rest
growing by just 2 percent.
``There's a lot of political appeal to supporting a balanced
budget,'' said Rep. Patrick Toomey, R-Pa., a leader of the effort
to produce a balanced budget for fiscal 2003, which starts Oct.
1. ``A lot of members ran on that basis and have based their
credibility on an ability to deliver a balanced budget.''
House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, R-Texas, championed the idea
at a meeting House GOP leaders had last Friday with White
House budget chief Mitchell Daniels in St. Michael's, Md., say
people familiar with the session. A balanced congressional
budget - a nonbinding blueprint that lawmakers use - would
help keep subsequent spending bills from getting too costly and
further annoying many voters, he argued.
Even so, many other House Republicans doubt that enough
savings can be found to succeed. That's due to the popularity of
Bush's proposed spending increases and likely bipartisan efforts
for campaign-season boosts for agriculture, education and other
programs.
``Politically, it's essential that Republicans not allow Democrats
to get to their right on fiscal responsibility,'' said Stephen Moore,
a budget analyst for the conservative-leaning Cato Institute.
``But in this political climate, where even some Republicans
have become big spenders, it's difficult'' to balance the budget.
``I don't want to dismiss'' the proposal, said House Budget
Committee Chairman Jim Nussle, R-Iowa, who will be a chief
author of the House GOP's budget. ``But achieving that is going
to be very difficult.''
Not included in the conservatives' calculations is next year's $75
billion price tag for the economic stimulus package Bush will
include in his budget. Most members of both parties consider it
politically impossible to balance next year's budget if that
amount of savings is needed.
Toomey and other Republicans say they support the stimulus
proposal but believe it will probably be blocked by the Senate's
majority Democrats. Democrats consider the package a tax
giveaway to corporations and the well-to-do, preferring a
smaller package more focused on help for the unemployed.
The conservatives say they might as well take advantage of that
and craft a balanced budget that voices support for the stimulus
measure, but does not factor in its costs.
That drew criticism from Democrats.
``You say you're balancing the budget, but it's not balanced
and that's supposed to mean something?'' said Senate Budget
Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D. ``That just takes
falsity to a whole new level.''
Last week, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office
projected a $14 billion deficit for next year. Toomey said he
believes such savings can be found in the rest of the $2.1 trillion
budget, even if programs like Social Security, Medicare and
veterans benefits are protected.
But others noted that the CBO estimate assumed the unlikely
scenario that neither the stimulus measure nor any spending
increases for defense, homeland security or other programs
would be enacted.
``There's more likelihood that they'll find the cure for cancer this
year than balance the budget,'' said Marshall Wittmann, who
studies Congress for the conservative Hudson Institute.
Last year, Bush proposed a 4 percent spending increase for
most programs, but lawmakers ended up approving 11 percent
growth, including the end-of-year anti-terrorism package.
Spending grew by 9 percent the year before last.
The conservatives plan to present their idea to their colleagues
at this week's congressional Republican retreat at the
Greenbrier resort in West Virginia.
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