"I'm All in Favor of Cutting Federal Spending, So Long As Nothing That Benefits My State is Cut!"

That is, in essence, the position taken by the fiscally conservative members of the party of the Confederacy when it comes to cutting federal spending.

Some of their caucus wants to eliminate the Essential Air Services Program, which provides subsidies for airline routes to places that don't generate much of a demand for air transportation. Predictably, the members of the Confederate caucus who are from those states want to keep the program, or at least are mealy-mouthing understated opposition so that they don't incur the wrath of the Teabaggers.

I am taking no position on whether or not there should be continued funding for EASP. But the fact that EASP is pretty much low-hanging budgetary fruit and the politicians who are otherwise in favor of cutting federal spending cannot bear to take an axe to this program explains why there will not be any meaningful cuts.

So, if the budget is ever going to come close to being balanced, taxes are going to have to go up, and by a lot for those at the top of the pyramid. Otherwise, the bleating about the federal budget deficit is nothing but noise to curry votes from the uninformed.