Yesterday, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor proved himself to be one such lawmaker. Announcing that the federal budget cannot be balanced without “severely impacting the benefits” for senior citizens, Cantor declared that the Republicans would not do that. His remarks came in response to a question that asked whether or not Republicans would be able to balance a budget sometime in the next 10 years.
After admitting that Republicans would not be willing to “severely impact” seniors, he asserted instead that the GOP is seeking to reform entitlement programs for those 54 years of age and younger, but assured that those 55 years old and older would not be impacted.
“It is very difficult to balance the budget within 10 years without cutting seniors’ benefits now,” said Cantor. “And as I said before, our vision of entitlement reform will protect today’s seniors and those nearing retirement. As I am told, you cannot balance this budget in 10 years without severely impacting the benefits that current seniors and retirees are getting now.”
He added, “So the answer to your question is our budget will balance in the future while we work to protect today’s seniors and those nearing retirement, and actually more towards reforming the programs for those 54 and younger.”
Cantor declared with certainty that changes to Social Security and Medicaid benefits for those 55 years and older were not being discussed. “We have said that those 55 and older will not see any change in their benefits. But for the rest of us, 54 and younger, we are going to have to come to grips with the reality that if we’re going to have these programs around and save them, they’re going to have to look a lot different for the younger people in this country.”
Cantor also did not hesitate to admit that a balanced budget would be virtually impossible so long as ObamaCare remains in operation. “It certainly makes it very difficult for us — more difficult to balance the budget with the current healthcare bill — the ObamaCare bill in place, which is why we will be looking to repeal that bill and do everything we can to make sure that it does not take full effect because we have an alternative way. So we want to repeal it. We believe it is a budget buster in a big way.”
According to CNS News, a balanced budget does not appear to be a priority for President Obama, whose budget sent to Congress last month “does not balance the budget at any time in the next ten years and would never bring the annual deficit below $607 billion.”
Unfortunately, even those who claim to be fiscal conservatives, like Cantor, John Boehner, Sarah Palin, etc., believe a number of areas in the budget should remain untouched, particularly that of defense spending, even though a quick review of the defense budget reveals a number of areas that can afford cuts.
Fortunately, a greater number of Republicans have come forward and proposed cuts to military defense, including Senator Rand Paul, Senator Tom Coburn, Governor Mitch Daniels, Senator Johnny Isakson, Senator Bob Corker, and Senator Pat Toomey.
Now the question remains, who is willing to take on what has been dubbed the “third rail” of politics — cuts to Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare? Apparently not Eric Cantor.
Photo of Eric Cantor: AP Images
