Comments about ‘Sen. Orrin Hatch: Congress needs fiscal conservatives’

Senator Hatch's last quote in this article is the elephant in the room. You just can't get federal spending under control unless you address the growth in entitlements. This includes not only the growth in benefits, but also the demographics of the retiring baby boomers.

I'm all for fiscal conservatism, but this is where many conservatives fail to get the reality of the federal goverment's financial situation. Even if you completely eliminated earmarks, you would only be removing 1% of the federal budget. While a penny saved is good, it certainly won't even begin to solve our deficit spending or make a dent in the accumulated federal deficit.

Why then does 90% of the media and public discussion about the deficit seem to center around earmarks? It boggles the mind.

My theory is, it's just too tough and politically unsavory to deal with the real problem. And that is why neither Republicans nor Democrats have been able to solve the problem of deficit spending. Look in the mirror!

The anemic economy has not helped matters either, as tax revenues have shrunk in lock step with the decreased GDP and related tax base.

"The anemic economy has not helped matters either, as tax revenues have shrunk in lock step with the decreased GDP and related tax base."

And as those revenues have decreased, instead of cutting costs like any business would have to do, the government just continues to spend, spend, spend. Can't spend money you don't have and expect to stay afloat. Funny thing is, that's the exact problem that helped cause this bad economy: people borrowing money up to their eyeballs, when they had no way to repay the debt.

Senator Hatch has not shown that he is a true fiscal conservative, nor that he has used his vaunted seniority and procedural knowledge to try to stop the horrendous spending taking place.

He needs to do more that hold a press conference back in Utah once in a while. He needs to fight tooth and nail, real street fighting, Chicago style, in committee, on the floor, and in private. He can do that, but instead chooses to schmooze with his late "good friend" Ted Kennedy and other liberals and meekly disagree on philosophical points while they tax and spend and spend.

We don't need any more weak willed RINOs or we will never stop the spending.

Bob Bennett was even worse than Hatch, and he was defeated in the Convention.

Sen. Hatch, it is bare knuckle fighting time now, and you have two years to prove your own conservative credibility, or you will never win another term.

I know that Hatch is a good, honest and sincere man, but we need someone who is a fighter to accomplish what Hatch says he wants to see done.

This is the same Hatch who has been bringing home the bacon to Utah for years. He only considers it pork if some other state is getting Fed funds. That's the problem with these "fiscal Conservatives" like Hatch. They only want to be frugal with money going elsewhere.

Well, not one of Utah's delegation fit the bill. These guys talk tough, then spend like there is no tomorrow.

I find it hilarious that Hatch now cares about fiscal conservatism. When Reagan and the Bushes were in office, he couldn't care less. I really wish he had worked to curb the deficits under Reagan and the Bushes -- the country would be a lot better off now if he had.

Hatch has been in elected office for 40 years.

And obviously, there is still a problem.

Heck, keep on spending and let our grandchildren pay for it. And shoot the messenger when someone like Sen. Hatch complains.

Hatch is right, we need more fiscal conservatives. Good reason to remove him at the repub convention in 2012.

I appreciated Sen. Hatch's comments yet he is only one of 100 senators. He can't do it alone. We need more people like Hatch from a variety of states. If the GOP controls Congress, then Obama would need to compromise, listen and work with the GOP.

Although sadly, I don't believe Mike Lee is the right candidate. He is a candidate placed onto the ballot out of frustrated electorate but isn't polished into a conservative....You watch, he'll change once elected and he'll be there as long as Hatch and our children will be saying "Dump Lee, he's been in too long."