IS SENATOR HATCH NECESSARY?

In his campaign ads, Senator Orrin Hatch says it is urgent to reelect him, again, because he might become the Senate Finance Committee Chairman.

Actually -- 

If Orrin Hatch gets reelected and if the Republicans take control of the Senate, Hatch might become chairman of that committee.

If America elects a Republican president, and that is not yet a sure thing. If the Republican leadership proposes budgetary cutbacks. If.

America contains more than 310 million people. A nation that big cannot have a small government. It cannot have a small budget especially if a prospective President Romney seriously wants to increase military size and scope. 

Military spending comes in one variety -- expensive. 

Furthermore, a leader gives the people what it needs. A politician gives the people what they want. The senate's ratio of leaders to politicians means that the senators will all have various programs that they insist on funding. So far as I can tell, the Republican definition of budget cutting is cutting back on someone else's pet programs.

When Hatch served as senator in the Reagan administration, I remember he supported most or less enthusiastically the president's deficit spending, particularly the militaristic deficit spending, for two terms.

When Hatch served as senator back in the First Bush administration -- ditto.

When Hatch served as senator back in the Second Bush administration, I remember he supported most or less enthusiastically those two large wars that Bush funded off line by deficit spending and borrowing. If Hatch has any fiscal conservative tendencies, I do not quite remember them.

Frankly, several Republican senators sit on the Senate Finance Committee whose conservatism on the record is more conservative than Orrin Hatch's.

THE CALL TO ACTION

Senator Hatch really should have more time to spend with his grandchildren and in writing his poetry.    Eventually, the Republicans will take control of the Senate, though I have a hard time picturing this happening in 2012.   However, when the change comes, Utah should have a more conservative senator in the chair ready to go.   And that senator is not Orrin Hatch.