Republicans get angry about canceled White House tours. MSNBC's Ezra Klein reveals why they should actually be angry over something much more critical.
If there’s one thing Republicans agree on, it’s that spending cuts are good. The automatic sequester cuts will trim everything from the military budget to school programs. But one cut seems to be getting the GOP’s goat: The White House has decided to shrink overtime and other costs by canceling White House tours until further notice. The move will save several million dollars.
But tours are set up through members of Congress, who have been able to give free tickets to constituents who were visiting the capital. Now–just as Washington’s spring tourist season is about to start–officials have to tell the good folks back home that, uh, you wanted me to cut spending and I did, but that meant canceling your tour, which won’t be rescheduled, by the way, and I’m really sorry about your having wasted the long drive/airfare/hotel bill, and I hope that isn’t your kids I hear crying in the background. And please vote for me when I come up for re-election because I did, as you wanted, cut spending!
More will be cut in 2014 and on and on for years to come. Cuts apparently sound really good…until they don’t.
