By Paula Helton

Rejoice Hobbits; the Wall Street Journal has proclaimed “Tea Party
Triumph”. To quote from their August 1 Editorial, “The big picture is that the
deal is a victory for the cause of smaller government, arguably the biggest since
welfare reform in 1996”. By the way, how is that welfare reform working out for
you since we have more Americans collecting food stamps than at any time in our
history?

But, back to the “Big Picture” and smaller government. The Uruk-Hai,
aided by the not so conservative Conservatives, have been given roughly 2.5
trillion more dollars to spend. I could be wrong here, but in order to make
things smaller do you subtract, not add? I spent hours bleary eyed reading
through the bill (yes, we Hobbits read them) and breakdowns on it from Senators
Mike Lee and Rand Paul (could one of them be our Aragon?). The following is a
summary:

The deal purports to cut $2.1 trillion. However, this is from a baseline that
would have added $10 trillion in debt over the next ten years. Now we are only
adding roughly $7 trillion. Such a deal!

The $2.1 trillion in supposed cuts equates to $250 billion per
year, yet in the first two years the cuts are $20 and $50 billion respectively,
but the President gets $900 billion immediately. We Hobbits are being played
for fools yet again.

Our elected representative have abdicated their responsibilities
and taken away the voice of the people of the Shire, by creating a “Super
Congress” of 12 members to be appointed by the very people that gave us this
bill. How many actual true conservatives do you think will me members of the
Super 12? I’m not expecting to see Jim DeMint, Mike Lee, Rand Paul, Marco
Rubio, Jim Jordan, Jason Chaffetz, Michele Bachmann or Ron Paul anywhere near
that committee. The rumor, and I repeat, rumor, coming from insiders on Capitol
Hill is that members were warned if they voted against the bill, they would not
be appointed to the Super 12. Draw your own conclusions, but I expect Democrats
demanding tax increases and Republicans of the “go along, to get along” mindset
to compromise the Super Congress. Anyone else seeing a VAT in our future?

The gang of twelve, guess six wasn’t a big enough gang, have been
given power that is nowhere to be found in the Constitution. Hobbit Helton, you
say, since when does Washington follow the Constitution? Point conceded, but to
paraphrase the slogan of the Uruk-Hai in Chief, “Hope and Change” dear Hobbits!

This Super Congress will devise legislation for deficit reduction
that can neither be amended, nor filibustered by the Representatives we elected
to Congress. I seem to recall a little thing called the “Boston Tea Party” in
December, 1773 that arose over, among other things, Taxation without
Representation. This new Debt Limit Act is our Tea Act.

The second installment of the debt ceiling increase is initiated
by the President (thank you so much, Mitch McConnell) automatically and can
only be stopped by a two-thirds vote of Congress, Thus, Congress has shifted
yet more to the Executive Branch. Visions of Stalin, Hitler and Castro dance in
my head. To the people of Kentucky, “Have you had enough yet?”

If the committee recommendations fail to become law. spending cuts
are automatically triggered with Defense and Medicare taking the biggest hits.
Now who is pushing grandma off the cliff? Obamacare cuts $500 billion from
Medicare and this legislation could cut $600 billion more. Death panels anyone?
While I agree we could probably trim the Defense budget, the cuts this bill
would trigger will put us in a very vulnerable position. I’m sure terrorists
around the world are the ones rejoicing, but hey, our Uruk-Hai in Chief
released a White House statement on Ramadan. Guess he just forgot We People of
the Shire celebrated Easter back in April.

So, someone please tell me just why this bill is a triumph for we
Hobbits. We are constantly being told “we drove the conversation”. Talk is
cheap. Just what did we win? Oh, I forgot, we won the new title of
“Terrorists”. I wish they would make up their minds, “Hobbits” or “Terrorists”
because I’m now suffering from severe “multiple personality disorder”.

Hobbits, it’s time to band together as never before because the
only thing scarier to the ruling Huruk-Hai than angry Hobbits will be angry
Hobbits with pitchforks.

Paula Helton can be reached at: heltonpaula@yahoo.com