Power of the Purse

Vanity | 11/17/2022 | Tuxedo

[Tuxedo]

So the GOP now has the power of the purse. I did some searching but cannot really find out what this enables them to do, outside of passing bills. Do they really get to say what money actually gets spent? Like a literal checkbook? Just curious…

[TexasFreeper2009]

technically yes, but in practice, nearly the entire budget is rubber-stamped, and the president can redirect funds allocated for some things like Trump re-allocated funds for the wall.

[Herodes]

Congress—and in particular, the House of Representatives—is invested with the “power of the purse,” the ability to tax and spend public money for the national government.

[Leaning Right]

I think it means that all spending bills must originate in the House. That sounds good, but it really means nothing as any spending bill must also be approved by the Senate and then by the President.

So it doesn’t matter who comes up with the bill first. It will be probably be modified many times before it becomes law.

[blueunicorn6]

It used to matter until the Democrat party became an organized crime syndicate.

[TomGuy]

All spending bills are supposed to originate in the House, but recent governments have found ways around it — which is easy with complicity.

[ClearCase_guy]

I believe some very large spending bill was originated in the Senate not too long ago. People pointed out that this was blatantly unconstitutional, and the response was a shrug and a “So what?”

[Tuxedo]

For instance, it was remarked that they could opt to not fund the 87,000 IRS agents. But that was included in a passed and signed bill - so how can they do this?

[OldGoatCPO]

Then can freeze all department budgets at January 2022 levels. Not negotiate with Senate, force acceptance or continuing resolution. The money was approved over a number of years. So it is possible to force the IRS to reallocate money allocated for new agents in 2023 to maintain its current workforce with inflation. The House can prevent pay increases outside of COLA increase and can if they have the vote freeze COLA increases. Frame it as the American family is suffering we cannot justify increases their tax burden to grow government.

But all of that takes cojones something totally lacking in the Senate and seems to be possessed by only the female conservatives in the House.

[OldGoatCPO]

If I remember correctly that money was allocated over years not a bolus amount. If that is the case cut the current IRS budget by the amount authorized for new agents in 2023, force them to freeze hiring.

[Tuxedo]

Perfect, thanks!

[cowboyusa]

GO BACK TO REGULAR ORDER!

[Reily]

The GOP House needs to consider the Holman Rule and use it surgically!

Holman Rule - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holman_Rule

Congressmen Comer & Biggs claim they are going to try and use it. Of course, they said this when they thought they were going to have a Red Tsunami!