During the early days of former president Barack Obama’s tenure, a new movement was born. The “tea party” brand came about as a result of Obama inking a huge bailout plan in 2009. Republicans proudly embracing this fun, new label ran for office while promising to limit the government and be fiscally responsible — which culminated in history electoral gains in 2010. On July 31, 2019, the day before the Senate passed a massive, bipartisan spending bill, Senator Rand Paul, Republican – Kentucky, declared the “tea party” is dead.
According to Fox News, “The legislation increases spending caps and suspends the debt ceiling, allowing for more government borrowing until July 31, 2021 – after the next presidential election. The measure, once signed by the president, would permit the government to resume borrowing to pay all its bills and would set an overall $1.37 trillion limit on agency budgets approved by Congress annually.” The measure also eliminates “the prospect of a government shutdown in October and automatic spending cuts.”
Paul contended the bill will overwhelmingly raise the national debt. The current state of America’s debt stands at over a mind-boggling $22 trillion. On the Senate floor, Paul stated, “Both parties have deserted – have absolutely and utterly deserted – America and show no care and no understanding and no sympathy for the burden of debt they are leaving the taxpayers, the young, the next generation and the future of our country. The very underpinnings of our country are being eroded and threatened by this debt.”
The 2016 presidential candidate went on to inquire, “Can you hear it? Can you hear the somber notes, the feet shuffling, the solemn tones Can you hear it? It’s a dirge, a funeral march, the death of a movement — a once-proud movement with hundreds of thousands of people gathered on the National Mall. It’s the death, it’s the last gasp of a movement in America that is concerned with our national debt. Today is the final nail in the coffin. The Tea Party is no more.”
The Senator from Kentucky quipped, “The budget deal today allows unlimited borrowing for nearly two years. Unlimited. No limits. The government will borrow what they wish, without limit, for two years. It abolishes all spending caps. … Fiscal conservatives, those who remain, should be in mourning, for Congress, both parties, have deserted you.”
Besides Paul, a few other Republicans spoke out against the bipartisan spending bill supported by President Donald Trump. Regarding the measure, freshman Senator Josh Hawley remarked, “This budget process, if we can even call it a process, put taxpayers at the mercy of a House Speaker who has no interest in prudent budgeting. Our system is not supposed to work this way. When the entire federal budget depends on four or five people striking a deal among themselves, something is not right.”
According to Fox News, “After the deal was announced, North Carolina GOP Rep. Mark Walker tweeted out a picture of the Joker lighting a pile of money on fire, from the 2008 ‘Batman’ film, ‘The Dark Knight.’
President Donald Trump, however, had a positive attitude about the bill.
“Budget Deal is phenomenal for our Great Military, our Vets, and Jobs, Jobs, Jobs! Two year deal gets us past the Election,” he tweeted. “Go for it Republicans, there is always plenty of time to CUT!”
Obviously, this bill isn’t a win for those who worry about how the nation’s ballooning debt will affect future generations. However, at least it will prevent the fake news media from spreading doom and gloom over a pending government shutdown for the next two months.
