House GOP "YouCut" Website Seeks Input on What Government Programs to Cut

AP

House Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) says that Uncle Sam needs to go on a diet.

Cantor (seen at left) launched a new project today that he hopes will "force Congress to begin to confront the difficult, but unavoidable realities of our fiscal situation."

It's called YouCut. It allows anyone to vote on a project that they think Congress should cut. Republicans will suggest possible cuts each week and will try to bring the winning cut to the House floor each week for an up or down vote.

Democrats are calling it a gimmick. Staffers in Majority Leader Steny Hoyer's office said that it comes as no surprise that Republicans would need to ask Americans for ideas since they "clearly have none of their own when dealing with fiscal responsibility."

The Democratic National Committee's Press Secretary Hari Sevugan said "it's not surprising that they are resorting to another gimmick for a round of press rather than a substantive idea for lasting solutions. But if they actually listened to the American people, Republicans would know that knee-jerk opposition, obstruction, delay and gimmicks are not a substitute for leadership."

Here's Cantor's selection for the first week, taken directly from a statement he released earlier today:

• Eliminate the Presidential Election Fund, a federal program that provides matching funds to political candidates during Presidential primaries, certain third-party candidates, and funds for political conventions. In the 2008 Presidential election the candidates raised over $1.3 billion from individuals and PACs; do they really need to supplement that with taxpayer money?
• Prohibiting taxpayer-subsidized union activities by prohibiting federal employees from being paid by the government for performing union functions. Currently some federal employees spend up to 100% of their workweek, paid by taxpayers, doing work for their union. Federal employees unions collect millions in revenue each year and spend significant amounts on political activities and lobbying; should they also be subsidized by the taxpayer for their official functions?
• Terminate the Department of Housing and Urban Development program that provides individuals with $25,000 stipends for completing their doctoral dissertations. Recently taxpayers have financed research on media strategies for housing policy and the use of eminent domain for urban redevelopment. Why should families who are struggling to pay for their children's college also be asked to fund stipends from the government for those who want to write their dissertation on certain government-preferred policies?
• Terminate the new alternative welfare program, recently created to incentivize states to increase their welfare caseloads without requiring able-bodied adults to work, get job training, or otherwise prepare to move off of taxpayer assistance. Reforming the welfare program was one of the great achievements of the Republican Congress in the mid 1990s, saving taxpayers billions of dollars and ending the cycle of dependency on welfare. This new program ushered in by Democrats is merely a backdoor way to undo those reforms.
• Focus federal economic development assistance on areas of need. The Community Development Block Grant program currently funds a wide range of local economic development activities. While it is advertised as a way to help low-income communities, funds are also dispersed to communities with income well-above the national average. A recent study found that the community of Newton, Massachusetts, with a per capita income over twice the national average, was receiving $28 per person in CDBG funds. At the same time, other communities with income 25% below the national average were receiving $10 per person.

If you look at the YouCut website, eliminating one of these projects would save taxpayers an estimated $2.6 billion at the most. But to Cantor, it's clear that it's about more than saving money. It's also an opportunity to woo American voters by trying to prove that Republicans care about real people's opinions outside the beltway.

It's a message voters can expect to hear more of from both parties as the anti-Washington sentiment only becomes more clear with veterans of both parties already losing their seats in the primaries so far.

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(CBS)

Jill Jackson is a CBS News Capitol Hill Producer. You can read more of her posts in Hotsheet here. You can also follow her on Twitter.

[Graywalker]

Go to the youcut site, submit your idea and paste:

Cut the funding on congress first! Tie salary to 2.5 times median income of the state they represent - cap at 3 x National Median Income. Cut staff and staffing budget in half.
Share the sacrifice you ask of US.

Facebook it, Tweet it, share it with your friends.

[Keith Romeyn]

I to have heard enough on the "TAX CUT ISSUE" NEVER,hear of them talking about cutting their "PAY, OR RETIREMENT,OR THEM PAYING FOR THEIR OWN HEALTH CARE",crying about "not being able to give Government employies a cost of living increase! How about the Seinors? That are liveing on a tight Budget? They didn"t get one Either!(thanks King George Bush Jr!) You had "NO IDEA ON TO RUN OUR COUNTRY,Never let A Bush wacker run for President,Ever Again! Two Bushes? Two Loosers! Both ran our Nation into the Ground! Twice the American Worker,Lost! Whaat? Do you all only think of you're flunky Rich buddies? Pea,on you too! Let this be a VERY GOOD LESSON TO ALL AMERICANS! On how the TRUE REPUBLICAN PARTY RUNS! ALL for them! And no-one else!

[jrh69ca]

To show how serious congress is about cutting spending how about accross the board cutting of congressional expenditures by 10%? That would be ALL expenditures; congressional pay, mailings, office staff, housing allowances, travel, etc... When we see congress taking the first step then and only then we will know they are truly serious....

[Keith Romeyn]

I have heard,And read,enough on the cuts our Great Political figures on capital hill want to cut!My suggestion's to them? Is FIRST? Cut out the self Voted Raises you gave youreself! Second? Give back you're expence Credit Card! Third? Pay for you're own health care! Fourth? Give up,You're RETIREMENT Pay! It's supose to be an "HONOR" to serve as a "REPRESENTITIVE OF THE PEOPLE" Not a "CAREER"! Look deep inside youreself,before asking "WE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO SACRIFICE" You took an "OATH" To "PROTECT,UPHOLD,THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,AND TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE" It's "WE THE PEOPLE",NOT YOU THE GOVERNMENT! Give Back,All Monies owed,to Social Security, Before you decide to Starve out the Seinors,That have already paid into their retirement fund! This pratice,of taking Money out Social Security to fund Un-just wars,or to pay on other IOU's, has got to "STOP". Social Security, was set up to Care for Seinors,and Disabled Americans! Not Money to be Spent on whatever you decide!How Dare you think, that you can starve out,denie seinors comfortable housing,And Medical treatment! It is Apolling,Discusting,and down right in humaine,to do such things! Then? Demand "WE THE PEOPLE TO PAY TAXES? Are you nuts? Or just out of you're "MINDS" You talk in one breath,"SAVE THE TAX CUTS TO THE WEALTHY,AND IN THE NEXT? CUT SOCIAL SECURITY,AND MEDICARE! AFTER freely taking from our "PAY CHECKS" I CALL THIS STEALING OUR MONEY! Find you're cuts elseware! We've already given Enough!

[howardwilliam1943]

Support Secretary of Defense Gate's proposals for DOD reductions as a good faith start towards overall budget reductions.

[alalinda]

Eliminate all funds going to illegals for foodstamps, medicaid, welfare etc.

[alalinda]

Eliminate all funds goin to illegals for foodstamps, medicaid, welfare etc.

[dsands18]

Please eliminate foods stamps, medicaid and welfare for illegal immigrants. Americans are paying for these services and we should benefit from them, not illegals. Could we go to their countries and be taken care of? certainly not!

[wyodutch]

Occupying Iraq and Afghanistan is costing us $12,000,000,000 every month.
.
Make it a volunteer war. If the generals want to continue the wars... let them raise the money. Otherwise... get out.

[omega42]

Lets see, in 2005 the Defense budget (not counting the wars which were kept off the books) was greater than the next 15 biggest spending countries combined. Will this Republican sacred cow be put on the chopping block or just the social safety nets for the poor and unemployed? I suspect we all know the answer to that question.

[shoop_shoop]

So go the YouCut and submit your recommendation. They even let jerkwagons give their ideas on spending cuts.

[mikelpond]

End Health Benefits for Politicians. This will give them some skin in the game on health care reforms and save money at the same time.

[dsands18]

Yes, end health benefits for politicians and let's reduce government. 25% growth is ridiculous. We can't support everyone! Where has our incentive to grow as a nation gone? Where has our civil rights gone? Where is our freedom and pariotism Gone? Bring our ten commandments back and our prayer in schools and our faith in our country. No other nation would give up their heritage like we are. And bring back our traditions andand true history to our descendants. Stop altering who we are. Why are we changing the American dreams for our children? Enough is enough already!!!