Deep budget cuts not necessary

A terrific editorial ran in today's Herald-Leader:

Senate Republicans — led by President David Williams, Beshear's likely opponent in this fall's gubernatorial race — ignore [Beshear's] past successes in dealing with fiscal crises and claim the governor has no chance of finding enough savings to fill the budget hole by moving Medicaid to managed care.

Not surprisingly for a group led by a gubernatorial candidate who wants to endear himself to the Tea Party movement, Senate Republicans want to cut, cut, cut. Their proposal includes limited cuts in the last quarter of the current fiscal year and across-the-board cuts in the fiscal year beginning July 1.

...These cuts aren't necessary. What Williams and Senate Republicans are proposing are cuts made just for the sake of cutting, just for the appearance of cutting during an election year when a Republican gubernatorial candidate with a record of voting for tax increases and earmarked projects funded by massive bond issues needs to get right with the Tea Party movement.