The 'Hands Off My Department' Department

In this article the IRS commissioner claims that cutting his operating budget would be disastrous. Where have we heard that before? Why, we hear it every time anyone proposes cutting any spending in Washington. Can't be done! Preposterous! Impossible! It would wreck the economy or be cruel to the least fortunate, or something.

It happens every single time! A government spending cut is proposed and then the howling starts--oh no, you must not cut this. So you move along to the next thing, only to be told you can't cut that, either. Or the other thing! It ends up in a big double shuffle in which you're told you can't cut anything. At all. Ever. At least nothing serious--maybe the Marines have too much coffee money. Take it up with them.

The Puerto Rican Resident Commissioner opposes cuts for Puerto Rico.

“I recognize the need to reduce our nation’s deficit in a thoughtful and deliberate manner. But, as a recent editorial stated, ‘these are the wrong cuts, to the wrong programs, at the wrong time,’ said the Resident Commissioner in a statement he submitted for the Congressional Record.

Okay, Mr. Commissioner. Give us a call when it's the right time for you, and let us know what programs you want cut. You know--when it's convenient.

A suggestion to trim the Federal Aviation Administration budget was shot down by opponents who said it would hinder economic growth and was dangerous.

I can never find a story where the response is, "Why sure, cut our budget if you like; we're mostly useless in this department, anyway."

Could every government project we are funding be all that valuable? I guess so! To hear them tell it in Washington, not only do all projects need doing, we shouldn't propose to do them for less money. It's the wrong time. Dangerous. Disastrous. Or cruel. They all say it, so it must be true.

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Just for fun: Search Google for "opposes budget cuts."