One of the earliest planned actions of the House Republicans, once they take control on Wednesday, is to propose that House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin be given total control over the House budget as it will go through the House Ways and Means Committee.
If this happens, it will be an unprecedented move, giving one member of the House total control, without a vote on each part of the budget by the entire House of Representatives.
Ryan, while regarded by some as very bright and talented a legislator, has a very extreme view of budgetary matters, with the emphasis on cutting taxes endlessly on the wealthy, and ruthlessly cutting programs on education, health care, social security, the environment, and all other domestic programs.
It is an extreme right wing radical attack on the budgetary process, with the likely outcome being further polarization of the social classes and a direct attack on the whole concept of the New Deal and the Great Society!
It would represent an attempt to take us back to the years before Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson. It would negate much of the 20th century reforms that have advanced this nation into the 21st century!
Fortunately, the Senate and the President would stand in the way, but it will mean total gridlock and stalemate, instead of cooperative progress to deal with the many social and economic issues the country faces in 2011!
It would be a tremendous tragedy of massive proportions, with the outcome for 2012 hard to predict! 🙁