Heart of stone

If legislation limiting spending weren't so harmful, it would be hard not to laugh at it

 

(excerpted)

 

10/30/2005

 

The irony is overwhelming.

 

Last week, the GOP-controlled state Senate approved a bill 42-8 that would limit spending by restricting increases to the lesser of the prior three-year average percentage increases in personal income or inflation plus population.

 

Republicans said the legislation was an effort to impose fiscal discipline and lower taxes. ...

 

This came from the same people who controlled the executive branch of state government as well as the state House and Senate from 1995-2002 and yet did nothing to restrict spending or cut taxes. The Associated Press reported that half the budgets under the eight-year tenure of Republican Govs. Tom Ridge and Mark Schweiker would have exceeded the limits using the methodology this legislation would use.

 

This came from the same people who approved Gov. Ed Rendell's first two budgets, which exceeded the spending increase limits this legislation would have imposed. …

 

The pure political cynicism of this legislation brings to mind Oscar Wilde's observation in regard to the death of Little Nell in "The Old Curiosity Shop" by Charles Dickens: "One must have a heart of stone to read the death of Little Nell without laughing."

 

The only problem with the legislation is that this is no laughing matter. It is political expediency masquerading as good government.