This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Is this what they mean by "shared sacrifice"?
Apparently no idea*, no matter how off the wall, is off limits to congressional Republicans in the drive to balance the federal budget.
Consider what Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Florida, suggests: Selling off parts of Utah.
"I'm not an economist, but I have maintained a household," Ross (pictured) told Reuters this week. The federal government owns 70 per cent of Utah, for example. There are federal buildings. If you need cash, let's start liquidating."
This proposal joins others - like selling all the gold in Fort Knox - being talked about semi-seriously by conservatives. (An Obama administration official called the Fort Knox idea "just one level of crazy away from selling Mount Rushmore." Shhh - don't give them any ideas.)
This news has gotten roundly ridiculed by liberal commentators - such as Think Progress, Firedoglake and MSNBC's Rachel Maddow.
(H/T: The Salt Lake Tribune's Political Cornflakes)
* The one idea Republicans won't consider to cut the deficit: Eliminating tax subsidies for big oil companies.