Shimkus Magically Cares About Deficit

When it comes to great concern for fiscal discipline Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL) doesn't come to mind. For 8 years he voted in tandem with George Bush. During this time there was not an ounce of concern about the deficit from Shimkus. He was so unconcerned, in fact, that he voted in favor of the largest contributor to our deficit and debt, the Bush tax cuts.  But he didn't stop there.  Shimkus also voted in favor of the Bush's multi-hundred billion dollar expansion of Medicare that was completely unfunded.  And Shimkus, being the good soldier that he is, also fully supported the second largest contributor to our national debt and budget deficit, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Like all Republicans, deficits were never his concern when his party was in power.  But now, magically, John Shimkus wants everyone to believe that he has some great concern for deficits and debt.

Southern Illinois' two U.S. representatives split their vote on the House bill, with U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello, D-Belleville, voting in favor and U.S. Rep. John Shimkus, R-Collinsville, opposed.

Shimkus had supported past bills to extend unemployment benefits. But he said that with the federal deficit continuing to climb - it is at more than $13 trillion - he could not support a bill that would add to that debt.

"We simply must make the very tough decisions of what we, at the federal government, fund," Shimkus said. "This particular unemployment extension was not paid for by reducing other spending, and I could not support it. I do not believe that our economy - and thus, job creation - is helped by increasing our annual deficit and total debt."

Oh I see.  So when he voted for the Bush tax cuts he wasn't worried about adding to the debt.  Or when he voted for a completely unfunded $500 billion expansion of Medicare, he wasn't worried about "reducing other spending" or "increasing our annual deficit and total debt."  But now that George Bush is gone, John Shimkus, magically, has a deep concern for fiscal responsibility.

*Update:

I think it's worth mentioning in this post that unemployment benefits have very little effect on long term debt.  It's also worth mentioning that unemployment benefits are not designed to just allow people to sit around and not find work.  Just the opposite actually.  By receiving benefits, the unemployed are also receiving services to help place them in new work.  I don't know if you have ever tried to look for a job but it costs money to find employment.  That's why such expenses can be written off on your taxes.  By cutting this off Congress is effectively cutting off a key element to finding new employment.  Not to mention helping families survive while out of work.

As evidenced by Shimkus' voting record, he isn't the slightest bit concerned with the deficit or debt.  He's more concerned with doing away with social programs than anything else.  Social programs that don't benefit him to be more precise.