The First 100 Hours

Congressman Chris Murphy made the cover of this week's Herald (by Leslie Hutchison). I thought it was a nice article about him and, again, I'm glad he gave his first press conference in Cheshire. He could've just as easily gone to Meriden or Waterbury.

Anyway, I was thinking a bit more about his comments during the press conference. There was one thing that confused me. If I recall correctly, during "the first 100 hours" of the 110th Congress, he's supporting many bills, including two in particular:

1) advancing healthcare science (via stem cell research) and
2) fiscal responsibility (going back to the "pay as you go" system in which "taxes = spending")

Now maybe it's the accountant in me, but if we're currently operating with a budget deficit (and have been doing so for years... with an ever increasing national debt), then don't these two goals seem to conflict?

I guess I just wish the new Congress (old Congress was hopeless... I'll never forget the "$100 gas card") would close the budget deficit before acting on new spending initiatives.

Tim White