An article in the NYT this morning prompted my interest in selectively defunding the government. Apparently, there are four freshman congressmen who are steadfastly opposed to budget negotiations (although the article doesn't report on their theological agenda, it does make the point that they prayed together before going on the floor to oppose Boehner). Their leader says:
“We come from a state that is prepared to go at a quicker pace with respect to cutting and reshaping and resizing government,” said Representative Trey Gowdy of the South Carolina delegation, a former prosecutor.
I have an idea how we can help him out ...
A somewhat dated report from PBS (2004 via the Federal Procurement Data Center) put spending in the state of South Carolina by the Defense Department alone at $3,975,779,000 ...
South Carolina
Federal contract spending $2,875,992,000
Department of Defense spending $1,099,787,000
Presumably that number has gone up. A recent report from the Federal Procurement Data System shows where funds from the economic recovery program have been spent. South Carolina is number 5 in that list of states ...
The total funds from the economic recovery program allocated to South Carolina are in excess of $2 billion
Round numbers that's about $6 billion, probably more.
There are 4.6 million men, women and children in the state of South Carolina who are getting (by my estimate) about $1.5 million each this year from the Federal Government in spending in their state. I am sure that a lot of that federal money is coming from taxes I pay in New York City and State.
If in fact the constitutency of our four friends from South Carolina would like to move a little bit faster in downsizing federal spending, I am sure that there are a lot of people in NY state who would agree to send them a lot less money.
In fact, it makes me wonder why the budget is such a blunt instrument and why it cannot be used more effectively to discipline and reward support for problem solving steps our national government has to take on all our behalf's.