Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) remarked on Fox Business Network’s “Kudlow” on Wednesday that the Republicans had “emasculated” themselves by consenting to the framework for an comprehensive spending measure to finance the government until 2023.
“This draws upon us the falsehood that Republicans are truly financially conservative,” Paul remarked. “Democrats are not. They are not going to pretend to be fiscally conservative. Nobody up here gives a damn about the debt. The Republicans all claim to be, yet when forced to vote on the PAYGO resolution, which states that we cannot increase expenditure without offsetting it, they invariably vote to exempt it. As a result, the omnibus will be 3,000 pages long. We’ll get it two hours before they are wanting to pass it. Nobody is going to read it. But concealed among the 3,000 pages will be the words we will wave “PAYGO.”
“It would require 41 votes,” he added. “The large spending would be halted with 41 votes. We could compel Democrats to cut spending if 41 of us said no and stood firm until a deal was reached. We have completely surrendered control of the purse. Republicans have been suffocated. They have no authority, and they are unwilling to regain it.”
