CUT HIS SPENDING

3/5/10

This morning’s Wall Street Journal tells the story of closer than perhaps would be expected Congressional race in the South Carolina district of John Spratt, a 14 term (Fourteen terms! There oughta be a law! But that’s another issue.) Democratic congressman who leads his Republican opponent, Mick Mulvaney, by “only” 13 percentage points.

It seems that the voters in this district are mad, hopping mad about runaway federal spending and want those Washington politicians to do something about it, hence Mr. Mulvaney’s appeal. John Spratt, according to many voters in the district, is just too liberal and, as Chairman of the House Budget Committee, is especially responsible for the runaway spending in Washington.

However…

One of Spratt’s strongest selling points in this “conservative” district is the truckloads (trainloads, really) of federal money he sends back home, especially to support Sumter Air Force Base, home of the Air Force’s largest F-16 wing. This is one of the issues, if not the issue, that will, in all likelihood, lead to Mr. Spratt’s reelection to a 15th (Fifteen terms—30 years! O tempora, o mores!) term.

There is nothing especially unique, or profound, about the Spratt-Mulvaney race; the irony is obvious. Everyone wants to cut spending in some generic sense, but no one wants to cut any spending that benefits him or her. No, spending on us, most voters “reason," is vital and essential. It is only the spending that benefits, at least on the surface, other that is wasteful.

As my father told me over forty years ago, it’s all a matter of whose ox is being gored. No one wants to give up what he considers his rightful share of “free” money. And that is why we will never get federal spending under control.