Hey, Nan Hayworth (R-19-NY)... What's The Deal?

Even though my congresswoman - Dr. Nan Hayworth - tries to keep abreast of my newsbites and other postings, she's a busy woman. Therefore... I'm emailing her a version of this latest "open letter" just to ensure the matter is brought to her attention.

So, Nan... what's the deal with this Taxpayers For Common Sense news release (dated Saturday, Feb. 5, 2011) I just stumbled upon?

EXCERPTING... and commenting --

Even as they take a cleaver to many domestic agencies, Republicans now running the House are barely touching Congress' generous own budget.

Nan... as you know, I'm a big "cleaver fan." As you're also well aware, during the campaign you pledged to cut your personal House office budget by a full 10%. (How're you coming with that pledge by the way?)

Recent hefty increases to the congressional budget - engineered by Democrats when they held power in the House from 2007-2010 - would remain largely in place under a plan announced Thursday by the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Harold Rogers (R-KY).

The plan, developed in close consultation with Republican Speaker John Boehner's office, would cut Congress' budget less than any other domestic spending bill, except for the one covering the Department of Homeland Security.

Now that doesn't sound good, Nan...

Congress...would get nicked by only 2%...

Whoa...! What's this 2% nonsense...?!?!

When Democrats took over Congress in 2007, they inherited a $3.8 billion budget for Congress. That includes money for members' and leadership offices, House and Senate committees, and support agencies such as the Capitol Police and the Congressional Budget Office, which crunches numbers for lawmakers as they consider legislation. Since then, that budget has risen to $4.7 billion, a 23% increase over four years. (The biggest jump, 11%, occurred when President Barack Obama signed a Democratic-written spending bill just after he took office in 2009.)

Frankly, Nan, I'd like to see the Republican House Leadership impose their announced 5% cut not on Pelosi's last inflated budget, but upon former Republican House Speaker Hastert's last budget. (Still... I'm not holding my breath for that one...)

When Democrats gained a majority in 2007, the budget for the office of the speaker's office - considered the most powerful of any in Congress - exploded.

(*SMIRK*) (*ROLLING MY EYES*)

As speaker, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) engineered a $2 million, 71% increase immediately after that transfer of party control.

Appalling! Disgusting! Obscene...!!!

(A Pelosi spokesman attributed some of the increase to her decision to consolidate a variety of leadership jobs within her office as opposed to the power-sharing approach of her predecessor, Republican Dennis Hastert of Illinois.)

Attributed "some," huh?

(*SMIRK*)

Among the first items of business when the GOP regained the House was to pass a bipartisan measure to cut office and committee budgets by 5%.

One more time, Nan... I want Boehner to abide by that 5% announcement and I expect you to abide by your 10% pledge.

As always... thank you for taking my views into consideration.

Respectfully submitted...