Crawford Among Freshmen Calling For Action
by March 30, 2011 7:00 pm 50 views
While all eyes have been focused on the Arkansas Legislature, there is a looming federal government shutdown over stalled budget talks in Washington, D.C.
First District Congressman Rick Crawford (R-Jonesboro) was among a group of freshmen representative chosen for a press conference to call on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) to move forward on budget discussions.
At a press conference Wednesday, Crawford read a letter sent to Reid and signed by a number of new GOP representatives swept into office last fall.
"Mr. Reid, your record on spending in the Senate is one of failure. You have failed to pass a budget, failed to restrain spending, and failed to put our country on sound fiscal footing. We do not accept your failure as our own," the letter read.
Reid’s office dismissed the press conference as a "juvenile" publicity stunt, while Arkansas’ senior senator Mark Pryor called for less "blame game" politics.
"Unfortunately, I see that a lot here in Washington where people just don’t want to appear to be serious. All they want to do is score political points, blame the other side and try to get some political advantage out of this. Meanwhile, the country is going down the tubes,” Pryor said.
Peter Urban with our content partner, Stephens Media, has more from the Washington, D.C. bureau at this link.
Democrats also wasted little time reminding Arkansas voters that Crawford’s call for failed spending restraint appeared hypocritical on account of his personal bankruptcy over credit card and hospital debts that were a major campaign issue in 2010.
Matt Campbell with our content partner, Blue Hog Report, re-examines Crawford’s bankruptcy in this post.
Look: I do not care that Rick Crawford declared bankruptcy nearly 17 year ago. It happens. In fact, I know several people who have or may still have to declare bankruptcy as a result of the current recession. I do care, however, that someone who could not afford his utility bill, but was still running up credit card debt at stores like Dillard’s, would not find it terribly hypocritical to insist on this type of Draconian fiscal discipline, especially when he has previously had to avail himself of the federal government’s protections for those who can’t pay their obligations.