By JEFFREY H. ANDERSON Posted 03/04/2010 03:14 PM ET

American voters have expressed strong opposition to the Democrats' proposed health care overhaul, and clear concerns about rampant deficits.

Yet, the Democrats seem to be poised to use the "budget reconciliation" process not to reduce deficits (as that process is intended to be used), but instead to try to pass their health care overhaul — which, in turn, would almost certainly raise deficits, probably by hundreds of billions.

The Democrats, however, don't hold a monopoly on fiscal irresponsibility. As Alexander Hamilton wrote, Congress "commands the purse." And both Democrats and Republicans have controlled Congress in recent years, during which time our national debt has skyrocketed.

When Ross Perot got 19% of the presidential vote in 1992 on the strength of his anti-deficit message, our national debt was $4 trillion. It's now about $12 trillion. Clearly, both parties share the blame for our casual deficit spending and frightening debt. But do they share it equally?

The last seven years that the Democrats have controlled both houses of Congress are 1992 to 1995, and 2008 to 2010. The last seven years that the Republicans have controlled both houses are 1999 to 2001, and 2004 to 2007.

During these respective seven-year stretches, each party has been paired with a Republican president for four years (George Bush or George W. Bush) and a Democratic president for three years (three with Clinton for the GOP, two with Clinton and one with Obama for the Democrats).

So, how has each party fared at keeping deficit spending in check?

During the most recent seven years that the Democrats have controlled Congress, their deficits have averaged $619 billion a year, or 5.3% of the gross domestic product (GDP). During the most recent seven years that the Republicans have controlled Congress, their deficits have averaged $93 billion a year, or 0.6% of GDP. Over their entire seven-year spans, the Democrats' deficit spending has totaled $4.3 trillion, the Republicans' $651 billion.

Over the 14 years in question, the four highest deficits as a percentage of GDP have all occurred when the Democrats have controlled Congress. The five lowest have all occurred when the Republicans have controlled Congress.

The Republicans' highest deficit (3.6% of GDP) has been lower than the Democrats' average deficit (5.3%), and the Democrats' lowest deficit (2.2% of GDP) has more than doubled the Republicans' average deficit (0.8%).

Some of the disparity between the two parties' records is likely attributable to economic variations. Over each party's respective seven-year periods, GDP growth has averaged 3.8% under Democratic control and 5.7% under Republican control.

Leaving aside any question of whether Republican policies may have contributed to this greater economic prosperity, how much does this gap in economic well-being account for the disparity in deficits?

If one were to drop the two worst economic years (2009 and 2010) from the Democrats' tally, while dropping the two best economic years (2000 and 2005) from the Republicans' tally, the economic disparity would nearly disappear.

The average growth in GDP would then be 5.1% when the Democrats have controlled Congress and 5.4% when the Republicans have. Furthermore, each party would then have been paired with a Republican president for three years (one of the Bushes) and with President Clinton for two.

Under these nearly identical conditions, the Democrats' deficits for the remaining five years have averaged 3.4% of GDP, while the Republicans' have averaged 0.8% of GDP. In other words, even after throwing out the Democrats' two worst economic years and the Republicans' two best, Democratic deficits have still more than quadrupled those of the Republicans.

And none of this counts the 2011 budget. If the Democratic Congress passes a budget similar to what President Obama has proposed, it will increase deficits by another $1.3 trillion, or 8.3% of GDP (even with growth in GDP projected at a healthy 4.6%). That's 14 times the average deficit under Republican control of Congress.

The simple truth is this: If you take all of the deficits accumulated over the last seven years in which the Democrats and Republicans, respectively, have controlled Congress (14 years in total), $8.70 out of every $10 in deficit spending has been racked up by a Democratic Congress, $1.30 by a Republican Congress.

President Obama, who according to White House figures will post more deficit spending in his first two years than any other president in U.S. history has posted in eight, said last week that "my administration is doing what families and businesses all across the country are doing during these difficult times — we're tightening our belts."

This statement was made the day before he argued at the "health summit" that we need to pass his health care overhaul, which would launch $2.5 trillion in new federal spending in its real first decade alone.

In truth, evidence of belt-tightening in Washington has proven to be quite elusive — especially when the Democratic Party has been in control of the purse strings.

Anderson was the senior speechwriter for Secretary Mike Leavitt at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/522949/201003041514/Both-Parties-Bear-Part-Of-Deficit-But-Dems-Is-Quadruple-The-GOPs.aspx

House moves to repeal Obamacare individual mandate; Update: Measure fails, 187-230

By Michelle Malkin  •  June 15, 2010 05:50 PM

Sent by GOP staff this afternoon:
Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives have just announced they will move to force a vote in the next 24 hours on legislation to repeal the unconstitutional “individual mandate” at the heart of President Obama’s job-killing health care law. Americans can go to this link on the America Speaking Out website starting NOW to read about the idea, vote on it, start a discussion, and share their ideas. The GOP legislation, offered by Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI), is a first step to repealing ObamaCare and replacing it with common-sense reforms that will lower health care costs and protect freedom.

GOP leader John Boehner adds:
House Republicans plan to force a vote as soon as today on a measure that would repeal the job-killing, unconstitutional ‘individual mandate’ at the heart of ObamaCare. This proposal, to be offered by House Ways & Means Committee Ranking Member Dave Camp (R-MI), will be offered as the Republican motion-to-recommit on H.R. 5486, the so-called Small Business Jobs Tax Relief Act of 2010.

Rep. Camp’s idea has been posted here on the America Speaking Out website, and Americans are urged to visit, read about the proposal, and share their ideas. House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) voiced strong support for this effort to strike at the heart of ObamaCare:

“House Republicans will force a vote to end the job-killing ‘individual mandate’ at the heart of ObamaCare during the debate on the small business deficit spending bill. We’ll highlight our effort using the ‘America Speaking Out’ website to call attention to what will be, literally, the biggest vote on the new health care law since it passed. This is a first step in Republicans’ efforts to repeal ObamaCare and replace it with commonsense, step-by-step reforms to lower costs.”

This move comes one day after the new health care law experienced its latest setback, this time in the form of new job-killing mandates that flatly contradict President Obama’s now-infamous ‘if you like it, you can keep it’ pledge. The coverage controversy is the latest in a growing list of broken promises that have solidified the American people’s opposition to this job-killing health care law:

“If You Like Your Health Care Plan” … Too Bad. In stark contrast to President Obama’s oft-stated pledge that, “If you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan,” his administration yesterday issued new job-killing mandates that will force a majority of the nation’s employers – including as many as four out of every five small businesses – to change or drop their coverage as the government sees fit. Even the Administration acknowledged its reversal, allowing “that some people, especially those who work at smaller businesses, might face significant changes in the terms of their coverage.”

 
ObamaCare Will Increase Costs, Not Lower Them As Promised. Despite President Obama’s claim that his health care plan would “slow the growth of health care costs for our families, our businesses, and our government,” analyses by both the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office and the Obama Administration’s Medicare actuary have confirmed that the new health care law will actually raise health care costs by $311 billion over 10 years.

ObamaCare Forces Millions of Seniors Off Medicare Coverage. Last week, President Obama re-launched his health care plan by promoting Medicare rebate checks that more than nine in 10 Medicare beneficiaries will never receive. An analysis conducted by the President’s own Medicare actuary indicates that the new health care law includes roughly $575 billion in Medicare cuts, which will be used to fund the creation of a massive new entitlement program. As a result of these cuts, enrollment in the popular Medicare Advantage program will be slashed in half.

 
ObamaCare Is Anti-Small Business. In April, Obama sought to reassure “jittery” small business owners by touting a health care tax credit in the ObamaCare bill that he claimed was “pro-jobs” and “pro-business.” But according to the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) – which joined 20 states in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of ObamaCare – the tax credit the Administration cites “will do little to nothing to make purchasing insurance more affordable for small firms.” According to the NFIB, only 12 percent of small businesses would benefit in any way, and the credit goes away after a short period of time.

 
President Obama has tried to deflect attention away from these broken promises with another tireless taxpayer-funded PR campaign, but the American people have spoken – again. Republicans are listening, and advancing this effort to repeal ObamaCare and replace it with commonsense, step-by-step reforms to lower costs and protect American jobs.
***

Here’s the roll call vote. Ellison, Walz, McCullum and Oberstar voted no to repeal HC

http://michellemalkin.com/2010/06/15/house-moves-to-repeal-obamacare-individual-mandate/

Dear Friends,

I am proud to be a member of Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, and I want to thank the delegation from the 4^th Congressional District for their endorsement and support. It is an honor and a privilege serving Minnesota in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Now, with the DFL Party united – we start the campaign to elect Margaret Anderson Kelliher governor, and re-elect Mark Ritchie, Lori Swanson, and Rebecca Otto.

We stand united as DFLers to fight to keep majorities in the Minnesota House and Senate.

I am ready to get to work to elect our DFL endorsed candidates – and I know you are too!

The DFL Party "united."  Candidates have been endorsed; all except Margaret Anderson Kelliher are incumbents.  Anderson Kelliher has two credible DFL challengers for Minnesota Governor in the August primary election.  You face a credible primary challenge for your 4th Congressional District seat from DFL'er Diana Longrie, former Mayor of Maplewood.  As Longrie said: "If you're happy with the status quo, then continue to back Congresswoman Betty McCollum."

This is a united Party?  Let's judge the incumbents on their merits.  That's why we have elections.

Friends, in Washington we have a fight on our hands.  We want health care for this country that is affordable, accessible and high quality.  We want jobs created on Main Street and our nation’s infrastructure rebuilt. We want basic benefits extended for people out of work until they can find a job.

"Affordable, accessible and high quality" health care?  What?  Do you mean we didn't get these with the health care reform bill signed into law on March 23?

And I want Wall Street regulated and those greedy crooks responsible for the economic collapse punished.

The last time you spoke the pejorative term "crooks" in a public forum, you were referring to health insurance executives while arguing for the health care reform bill law that now according to you, apparently doesn't provide affordable, accessible and high quality health care.  If  you really believe that "greedy crooks" are responsible for the economic collapse, you should refer the matter to the Department of Justice and insist on investigation and prosecution.  But perhaps the real crooks are too close to home.

But we have a fight because Republicans in Washington would rather rally with the Tea Party extremists than work with Democrats and vote for the interests of the American people.

Tea Party extremists, another pejorative, and Republicans are synonyms in your DFL dictionary while in the real world, the Tea Party is a conservative movement, comprised of Independents, Republicans and even Democrats.  It's not a Party.  You should be afraid, very afraid.

So we will pass important legislation without their help … Because I would rather have Democrats alone pass legislation that helps the American people than wait for Republicans to break up their little tea party.

Betty, understand that the conservative movement wants its Country back before we get to the point that half of Americans, the wealth creation part, produce economic prosperity and the other half, the wealth redistribution part, sits around and regulates us.  If you want to see the future of your world, look at Europe's "PIIGS."  Socialists, Democrats, liberals, progressives - whatever your appropriate term - the America you would have is "slouching toward Athens."

Republicans in Congress want President Obama to fail.  That means they want America to fail – your family to fail – and I reject their cynical, selfish, destructive political games.

Republicans in Congress don't want President Obama to fail... they want America to succeed.  And that begins with the 2010 election.  If you simply look to recent election outcomes, the record of which political party engages in "cynical, selfish, destructive political games" speaks for itself.

Democrats in Congress have the responsibility to govern, not play games.

No Betty... Democrats in Congress do not have the responsibility to "govern."  Congress is elected and has the responsibility to legislate.  Three co-equal branches, remember?  Executive, Judicial and Legislative.  The Constitution of the United States: Read it, learn it, live it!

We passed the Recovery Act and health care reform without one Republican vote.

And Republicans were joined by 10 Democrats in Congress voting no for the Recovery Act and 34 against health care reform.

Imagine, the Republican Party’s top legislative priority next year is to repeal health care reform.

And in the meantime, Attorney Generals in over a dozen States have filed suits against the recently enacted health care reform law because Congress overstepped its Constitutional bounds.  And a May 31st Rasmussen Report found that 60% of Americans want it repealed.  Imagine, indeed!

In other words their plan for America’s future is to stop 32 million Americans from getting insurance, helping the insurance companies discriminate against people with preexisting conditions, and they want to add $1.4 trillion to the deficit.

Add $1.4 trillion to the deficit?  Don't you mean save $1.4 trillion?  On May 12th, your Congressional Budget Office found another $115 billion more in health care reform discretionary spending that pushed the total cost to over $1 trillion.  And when was the last time a Federal program stayed within cost estimates, if one ever has?

If you think this sounds like a plan only Michele Bachmann would author... you are right.  (H.R. 4903) It is legislation only the insurance companies and Tea Party Republicans could love.

Only Tea Party Republicans along with 60% of Americans according to Rasmussen Reports on May 31st.

I am going to stand with President Obama to move America forward and keep America strong.

After 2010, with providence and good fortune, he will be standing alone.  But you will be together again after 2012!

And you need to know your Minnesota delegation is leading in Washington. Senators Klobuchar and Franken, Chairmen Oberstar and Peterson, Representatives Keith Ellison and Tim Walz, these are Democrats working for you, fighting for you and your families, and I am proud to be serving with them.

Thank you for summarizing Minnesota's "must defeat" list.

It is time for us – united as DFLers – to get to work to win in November.

Betty McCollum

Member of Congress