Jeremiah Smith: “earlier today, there was quite a bit of colorful rhetoric and blustering on the floor by the Democratic Party about…”

“earlier today, there was quite a bit of colorful rhetoric and blustering on the floor by the Democratic Party about reports in the Washington Post today that Republicans were going to create a ``13th month'' to allow more spending on education and other programs. Lest I be accused of partisanship, I think many of you know I am an Independent. So those who say I am going to speak on behalf of Republicans, I guess, would technically be wrong. I don't pretend to speak for the Republicans, and I am not privy to what was said in any meetings with the Republicans regarding the so-called 13th month. But let me speak for myself as an Independent and say I don't support a 13th month for any fiscal year. But in their effort to be partisan and embarrass Republicans over what was probably a mischaracterization, in my view, in a liberal newspaper, my Democrat colleagues failed to address the key issue, which is, where do you come up with the money to fund all of these programs? In their zeal to make partisan points and poke fun--and they did have a good time--they failed to offer any constructive solution. If you are going to poke fun and make jokes about the 13th month headline, what are your alternatives? My guess is they would prefer to use the same budget tactics they have been using for about 50 years.…”