No Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum on Fiscal matters before Congress

by Eric Dondero

Many 3rd party partisans, including some in the Libertarian Party like to use the old mantra: "there's not a dime's worth of difference between the two major parties." Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum is their common refrain. But on an increasing amount of critical votes in Congress, the differences are blaringly stark: Health care - straight party line, not a single Republican vote for socialist proposal; Obama Stimulus earlier in the year - near straight party line vote, only one single GOP House member voted for the bill, (Rep. Anh Cao, LA) and he has since recanted.

Now, another critical vote has just been taken: Raising the debt limit. From the NY Times, Jan. 27:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate voted narrowly on Thursday to increase the government's borrowing authority to $14.3 trillion, which would allow the Treasury Department to continue servicing the country's spiraling national debt through most of 2010.

Senate Democrats hope the 60 to 40 party-line vote will enable them to avoid another politically toxic vote on the issue before the November congressional elections.

Even moderate Republican Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine, George Voinivich of Ohio and Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, voted against the measure.

Of note, Senate-elect Scott Brown has yet to be seated. Acting Senator from Massachusetts, Democrat Paul Kirk is still casting votes.

In Congress as of late, one-party clearly represents both sides; Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dummer.