The dilemma facing Skelos and Boehner

Last week Republicans in Washington too fire for releasing a no-number “budget,” one that included vague ideological positions (deficits and taxes are bad…) but very little substance.

It was a softball for Democrats, who had a field day with it.

Now, Senate minority leader Dean Skelos is drifting into the same territory. In response to Governor David Paterson’s everybody-gets-skewered budget, Skelos said the following:

“We don’t want to tax the wealthy. We don’t put these taxes and fees.

We don’t want to hold our school budgets at a zero increase at a time when our need education. We don’t want to in any way jeopardize anybody’s ability to get healthcare.

We don’t want to lay workers off. This is in response to a crisis. So, if you pick it apart and ask questions one by one, is it a good idea to be cutting these resources? No.”

So: No new taxes, no new fees — but also no lay-offs, no cuts to education, no laid off workers, and healthcare for everybody. How do those numbers add up?

Democrats have handled the current budget crisis clumsily, at best. But Republicans need to do better than this in providing a viable alternative.

Borrow-and-spend just isn’t an option anymore in New York state. The question: whether voters understand that.

Skelos seems to be hoping that we New Yorkers want more jobs, more services, and a more comprehensive safety net — without paying any more in taxes.

And he seems to believe that we won’t accept real sacrifices, including things like pay cuts for teachers and public service unions.

This debate is just beginning and will continue until the November 2010 elections…