Brady and ilk need to put their money where their misguided ideas are

An eye-opener ran into today’s Federaltimes.com, the WWWebbed Gannett federal government version of the franchise that also publishes Navy Times, Army Times, etc., as well as USA Today.

Note: I always give you more information than you need. It’s your decision to do with it what you want.

It seems our Republican congressional members have indulged themselves in a race to destroy the federal government and, while they are at it, put our economy further in shambles.

One of our East Texas congressmen is in that contest. U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady, (a South Dakotan by birth — You decide, I type), has introduced a bill that would freeze federal pay raises for three years instead of the two that our president proposed. Brady, who represents the “deep” in Deep East Texas, also wants to cut the federal work force by 10 percent. That’s about 200,000 in RIFs, “early retirements” and so forth.

Not be outdone, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio and Sen. Jim DeMint (with the not so fresh taste), a S.C. Republican, wants to cut the federal rolls by 15 percent and freeze pay increases for five years.

Shouting: “I’ll see your stinking 15 percent and raise  you two weeks without pay in FY 2012 for those lazy no-goods!” is Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Whatelse from Colorado.

Why stop there? Why not just do away with the federal work force altogether? All together: “Why not just do … ”

And the federal government? And the United States of America? And Smokey the Bear? Why don’t we do away with all governments? Yes, let us have anarchy?

It is really difficult to tell how much that all of this is these folks trying to put on a show for their constituents at Fox News.

But if Mr. Brady and his Bunch really wants to impress the Hannitys and the Limburgers and the Palines and get their names and talking heads on the Fox, perhaps they should put their money that they will cause to be in short supply once they are done, where their mouths are.

Mr. Brady, Mr. Breath Mint, and ilk, why not:

*  Serve a single term in Congress for the token sum of $1.

*  Get your health insurance and that of their family elsewhere. No more insurance.

*  No free trips around the World to all those junkets. You want to travel, you pay for it. No local travel either. No staff travel because  you will have no staff!

*  Better figure out how you are going to live after Congress. You will get no pension.

*  No free parking or getting ahead in line. That’s over buster!

* Oh all those things that your constituents think that need to be done, you’ve got to do them. “Cut my lawn. Go invade China. Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran.” And if you don’t do what we say the way we like it, we will kick you out on your arse without any justification. Then where will you be, having spent  that big dollar you are paid.

In short, if you take 200,000 to 300,000 out of the federal work force you will take away quite a few dollars from this economy only making the situation worse. I’m not sure how many bucks would be taken away from taxes and money going to merchants and airlines and car companies and banks and insurance, by God, by giving federal workers two weeks unpaid leave. However, I figure you will pretty soon be talking some serious dollars.

Should any of these harebrained ideas be adopted by Congress I hope that the congressional sponsors such as Kevin Brady, University of South Dakota grad and now bringing his “Christian” values to East Texas — they’re running short I’m sure — will take credit for the failure their ideas will produce. But ‘fessin’ up? I don’t see that happening.