In a political turnabout that may indicate what lies ahead, Cornyn abandoned his long-standing support of federal spending for NASA and for the Johnson Space Center.
In the pre-Christmas legislative rush, he joined Senate Republicans, with fellow Texan and NASA champion Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison among them, in opposing a government-wide, $448 billion spending package that included $18.7 billion for the space agency.
Toughest part to come
"Clearly because you end up voting against a bill because it has excessive spending doesn't mean you don't support a lot of the underlying components of it," Cornyn explained. "But there needs to be a little restraint - particularly during the time of high deficits and runaway debt."
Where were the Senators fiscal restraint when they voted to fight a completely unnecessary war? Where was their fiscal restraint when they voted for huge tax cuts for the wealthy during a time in which our nation waged war on two fronts? Where was their so-called fiscal constraint in 2003 when Republicans voted for an expansion of Medicare, putting all of the above on the nation's credit card?
Democrats are troubled by the inconsistency of Republican lawmakers who approved a major Medicare expansion six years ago that has added tens of billions of dollars to federal deficits, but oppose current health overhaul plans.
All current GOP senators, including the 24 who voted for the 2003 Medicare expansion, oppose the health care bill that's backed by President Barack Obama and most congressional Democrats.
The Democrats claim that their plan moving through Congress now will pay for itself with higher taxes and spending cuts and they cite the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office for support.
By contrast, when Republicans controlled the House, Senate and White House in 2003, they overcame Democratic opposition to add a deficit-financed prescription drug benefit to Medicare. The program will cost a half-trillion dollars over 10 years, or more by some estimates.
With no new taxes or spending offsets accompanying the Medicare drug program, the cost has been added to the federal debt.
Some Republicans say they don't believe the CBO's projections that the health care overhaul will pay for itself. As for their newfound worries about big government health expansions, they essentially say: That was then, this is now.
Six years ago, "it was standard practice not to pay for things," said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. "We were concerned about it, because it certainly added to the deficit, no question." His 2003 vote has been vindicated, Hatch said, because the prescription drug benefit "has done a lot of good."
Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, said those who see hypocrisy "can legitimately raise that issue."
You betcha we can and you betcha we are.
Senators Hutchison and Cornyn have been standing on hypocrisy and bringing home lumps of coal to Texas for far too long.
Once again, let's raise our glasses to a new decade of change, more change, hope and recovery.
