# DeLay Declares "Victory" In War On Budget Fat **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 14, 2005, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-declares-victory-in-war-on-budget-fat/321656 "2005-09-14T19:43:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-declares-victory-in-war-on-budget-fat/321656/1 "2005-09-14T19:43:54Z")
I should probably start out by noting that this is from a source that is highly sympathetic to the Republican right: > [@](#): > > House Majority Leader Tom DeLay said yesterday that Republicans have done so well in cutting spending that he declared an “ongoing victory,” and said there is simply no fat left to cut in the federal budget. > > Mr. DeLay was defending Republicans’ choice to borrow money and add to this year’s expected $331 billion deficit to pay for Hurricane Katrina relief. Some Republicans have said Congress should make cuts in other areas, but Mr. DeLay said that doesn’t seem possible. > > “My answer to those that want to offset the spending is sure, bring me the offsets, I’ll be glad to do it. But nobody has been able to come up with any yet,” the Texas Republican told reporters at his weekly briefing. > > Asked if that meant the government was running at peak efficiency, Mr. DeLay said, “Yes, after 11 years of Republican majority we’ve pared it down pretty good.”… :dubious: :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-declares-victory-in-war-on-budget-fat/321656/2 "2005-09-14T19:47:07Z")
So, correct me if I’m wrong, that should mean that the only option left to balance the budget is to raise taxes? ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-declares-victory-in-war-on-budget-fat/321656/3 "2005-09-14T19:50:37Z")
> [@Steve MB](#): > > I should probably start out by noting that this is from a source that is highly sympathetic to the Republican right: So, since prices naturally increase due to inflation and increase unnaturally due to things like skyrocketing energy prices… Is it time for Repulicans to raise taxes? -Joe ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-declares-victory-in-war-on-budget-fat/321656/4 "2005-09-14T19:51:30Z")
The government is the largest it’s ever been, and now finally it’s at peak efficiency. Congratulations to the Republicans for achieving what they’ve always derided as the Democratic dream. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-declares-victory-in-war-on-budget-fat/321656/5 "2005-09-14T19:52:36Z")
If you believe that, I have a bridge to nowhere in Alaska to sell you… ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-declares-victory-in-war-on-budget-fat/321656/6 "2005-09-14T19:54:58Z")
> [@NurseCarmen](#): > > If you believe that, I have a bridge to nowhere in Alaska to sell you… I’ll pay $233 million for it. ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-declares-victory-in-war-on-budget-fat/321656/7 "2005-09-14T19:58:22Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The government is the largest it’s ever been, and now finally it’s at peak efficiency. Congratulations to the Republicans for achieving what they’ve always derided as the Democratic dream. A coworker of mine just sent this to me. He’s a die-hard Republican, and just said the exact same thing. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-declares-victory-in-war-on-budget-fat/321656/8 "2005-09-14T19:59:40Z")
> [@This Year's Model](#): > > I’ll pay $233 million for it. As I understand it, that’s less than $5 million per resident. A bargain. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-declares-victory-in-war-on-budget-fat/321656/9 "2005-09-14T20:05:24Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > As I understand it, that’s less than $5 million per resident. A bargain. You know what that means… Tax cuts all around! The more yachts the wealthy can buy the more bridges the poor will buy! Winners all around! -Joe, winning already! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-declares-victory-in-war-on-budget-fat/321656/10 "2005-09-14T20:41:05Z")
> [@This Year's Model](#): > > So, correct me if I’m wrong, that should mean that the only option left to balance the budget is to raise taxes? Why do you hate Freedom? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-declares-victory-in-war-on-budget-fat/321656/11 "2005-09-14T20:43:09Z")
Mission accomplished. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-declares-victory-in-war-on-budget-fat/321656/12 "2005-09-14T21:29:56Z")
Does it sound like that old “starve the beast” thing, or is it just me? ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-declares-victory-in-war-on-budget-fat/321656/13 "2005-09-14T21:35:19Z")
Of course, DeLay has been full of it for a long time. Frankly, the man is a joke within the Repblican party, but he keeps getting elected, so… Anyway, forgive us for having idiots like him. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-declares-victory-in-war-on-budget-fat/321656/14 "2005-09-15T00:44:20Z")
> [@smiling bandit](#): > > Of course, DeLay has been full of it for a long time. Frankly, the man is a joke within the Repblican party, but he keeps getting elected, so… > > Anyway, forgive us for having idiots like him. Shrug. I don’t blame you, I blame the cretins that vote for him. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-declares-victory-in-war-on-budget-fat/321656/15 "2005-09-15T04:06:11Z")
Are we sure, I mean _sure_, he wasn’t being ironic and/or sarcastic, as sort of a gauntlet-throwing thing? Because it sure sounds like he could be. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-declares-victory-in-war-on-budget-fat/321656/16 "2005-09-15T04:09:51Z")
> [@smiling bandit](#): > > Frankly, the man is a joke within the Repblican party, ??? He’s the party \*leader \* in the House. [quote] Anyway, forgive us for having idiots like him.[/QUOTE}When you stop making idiots like him your _leaders_, certainly. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-declares-victory-in-war-on-budget-fat/321656/17 "2005-09-15T04:28:15Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Are we sure, I mean _sure_, he wasn’t being ironic and/or sarcastic, as sort of a gauntlet-throwing thing? Because it sure sounds like he could be. Sarcasm is abundant in Texas, but irony is considered vaguely homosexual. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-declares-victory-in-war-on-budget-fat/321656/18 "2005-09-15T04:43:31Z")
The best thing about this story is how it completely preempted the news about two of DeLay’s Texas buddies going down with [additional felony charges](http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15212731&BRD=1817&PAG=461&dept_id=68561&rfi=6). Not only did I not see this distressing news, but Tom left me with sort of a feel-good glow that America _really is_ headed in the right direction. ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-declares-victory-in-war-on-budget-fat/321656/19 "2005-09-15T10:06:26Z")
Wasn’t some of the budget fat that was cut during the past few years funding for maintaining levees in New Orleans? CJ ---
**Author:** ![Arwin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Arwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arwin)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-declares-victory-in-war-on-budget-fat/321656/20 "2005-09-15T11:10:45Z")
Well, all else disregarded, his comment is very rich even if you only look at FEMA and the DoHS. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-declares-victory-in-war-on-budget-fat/321656.md?page=2)