Wyoming delegation looks to the past

There is one benefit in Wyoming's Republicans-only Congressional delegation: you know where they stand before it hits the papers.

During the past eight years, Sen. Mike Enzi never met a Bush spending plan (or war) that he didn't like. Now that the Democrats are taking over, he's Mr. Fiscal Conservative.

Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., in a written statement to the Casper Star-Tribune on Tuesday, said the nation can't afford to "keep printing money and giving it away with no accountability, and expecting our children and grandchildren to sacrifice for it.

"I will consider new proposals and details as they come up," Enzi added, "but I will always remember where the money comes from and look at the long-term consequences for our children and grandchildren's fiscal future."

Interesting. Pres. Bush turned a Clinton-era surplus into one of the biggest budget deficits in history, thanks to the unnecessary war in Iraq, tax cuts for the rich, giveaways to corporations, and the so-called War on Terror.

That was just fine with Mike Enzi.

Sen. John Barrasso of Casper, elected for the first time in November, said this:

"I'm going to have to wait and see exactly what's in the package," Barrasso said in a telephone interview. "And I need to be convinced that the money is going to be well spent to stimulate the economy."

Barrasso said accountability, oversight and "real value" for taxpayer money will be his priorities as he considers the massive spending plan.

Accountability? And we had that with Bush and Cheney at the helm? Ha!

Rep. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., who was only sworn into office on Tuesday, said she had not yet seen Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal's project list [every state governor was asked to send a wish list to the Obama Transition Team], nor the Obama administration's proposed stimulus package. But she will be looking carefully to be sure it actually works to stimulate the economy and is "not just an excuse to spend lots of money" in congressional members' home districts.

"I am more inclined to support stimulus through tax reductions or tax holidays than stimulus that requires further deficit spending."

Tax reductions? Just like the ones that Pres. Bush gave to his Republican pals?

Message to Enzi, Barrasso and Lummis: Look to the future, not the past.