Posted on 02/02/2018 6:52:53 AM PST by Kaslin
WASHINGTON - The threat of yet another government shutdown looms in about eight days amid speculation that next year’s budget deficit could speed past $1 trillion.
Despite a fast-approaching Feb. 8 deadline, Congress appeared no closer to passing a budget, after it approved a stop-gap bill last month, giving lawmakers more time to reach agreement on a variety of divisive issues, including immigration.
A growing number of lawmakers in both parties were complaining about out-of-control figures in both domestic and defense spending.
Republican Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee called the large increase in military spending “grotesque,” while Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina, chairman of the deficit-fighting Freedom Caucus, said “It is generally understood that the [domestic spending numbers] will be far too high.”
It is reported that Republican lawmakers are planning to increase military spending by an additional $80 billion, and raise domestic spending by $63 billion.
The federal government will spend $4.1 trillion in this fiscal year, but even that may not be enough tax revenue to pay its bills, forcing the government to borrow additional funds needed to meet its obligations.
The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, which tracks government spending levels, previously estimated that the annual deficit may climb to $983 billion by fiscal 2019.
But that estimate was made before the temporary stop-gap budget passed late last month that delayed some healthcare taxes that will reduce federal revenues, adding to the deficit.
Yet other budget watchdog groups — including the Club for Growth — believe last month’s $1.5 trillion in tax cuts will accelerate the economy’s expansion and dramatically boost tax revenues that will shrink the deficit.
However, as things stand now, many lawmakers are not optimistic about passing a year long budget deal that includes a compromise on immigration, military spending and other expenditures.
“While lawmakers could still find a way to break the impasse before the Feb. 8 shutdown deadline, odds were rising that Congress will once again punt and pass yet another short-term spending bill, which would be the sixth time since Trump took office,” the Washington Post reported this week.
Why has it been so difficult to pass the government’s budget? Two reasons are given by lawmakers.
In the Republican-controlled House, spending bills can sail through just with a simple majority. The Senate’s a lot more difficult because 60 votes are required for spending bills, forcing the GOP to find votes in the opposing minority party, which is a rarity nowadays.
The job of moving budget and appropriation bills through Congress has become so difficult that lawmakers have begun calling for the return of earmarks, money for each lawmaker’s pet projects back home. Secretly inserted into spending bills, they were often the grease that got major appropriations bills passed.
“This is heresy to many senators, but I will tell you the loss of earmarks has meant the loss of investment in the legislative process,” former senator Tom Daschle of South Dakota told the Washington Post.
“When we lost that, we lost one of the elements that leadership has to get things done,” the former Senate Democratic leader said.
As I reported in a recent column, even President Trump suggested bringing back pork-barrel ear marks that were banned in January 2011 after a large number of corruption and campaign payoff scandals swept through Congress.
But the problem of getting budgets passed on time isn’t the result of banning earmarks, but the lack of leadership.
President Trump has the benefit of a Republican-run Congress and the power to invite members into his Oval Office, many of whom may be facing tough re-election prospects. And maybe a few moderate Democrats, too, but he doesn’t know how to deal.
LBJ knew how to manipulate the presidential levers of power to corral the votes he needed to get his agenda enacted.
President Reagan, who faced very strong Democratic opposition on Capitol Hill, found that he had a number of conservative Democratic lawmakers in the House who helped get his tax cuts through.
Then-Democratic Congressman Phil Gramm of Texas, who was on the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee, was one of them. He told me at the time that he kept the White House informed of what was happening in his party and quietly helped Reagan corral the votes needed to enact his tax cuts.
It’s time that Trump began taking a few pages out of Reagan’s political playbook and soon. Another shutdown may be just a week away.
We should stop paying them, and charge them rent for the office space. What the #^@! are these people good for?
Tax Reform was stalled.
He’s got a lot done in year 1. I am sure he will in year 2.
Let the Dems shut it down again, deport the illegal aliens. Problem solved.
Did they do this when obama sunk this nation TRILLIONS of dollars further into debt than we could ever have imagined?
I appreciate Tom's deep concern on this matter.
I think what he is saying is that our government runs on bribery.
I think what Trump is saying is that this is no longer true. It should run on patriotism. And it will.
Start cutting staff payroll for members of congress.
One word. Reconciliation. 51 votes its done.
Five words: Change the Stupid Senate Rules. 51 votes, and it’s done.
We have not had a budget and regular order since Usurpation Day, January 20, 2009
Democrats and Democrats in R jerseys care more about illegal aliens than they do about citizens.
And this is a problem because.....
Except he floated the idea of bringing earmarks back.
They must go with the simple majority votes, which is what the Constitution dictates - not the filibuster 2/3rds rule which is self imposed by the Senate.
***END***
***THE***
***FILIBUSTER***
(at least on budget matters)
I'm tired of it. Fiscal paralysis. Kicking it down the road once again.
The uncertainty - will they get paid, is that agency even going to be open tomorrow?
And nothing gets fixed, nothing gets done.
Call their bluff. Pass a budget, House, send it to Senate. If it fails, there are 40 Senators who need to explain to the American People why they voted like they did. Let's hear it. I don't want to hear "It's was a bad bill", that's not an answer. Exactly what is it, Senator that's so important you shirked your Constitutional duty to the people you are supposed to serve?
And while we're shut down, lets tweak a little. How about a bill that says soldiers still get paid? How about Senators DON'T?
Ditto staff. Ditto Healthcare. Ditto all the perks you continue to get, like retirement checks, limos, gov't jets and air fare?
Hey, I got lots of money-saving ideas - how about security? You're not going anywhere anyway. Stay in the Senate building until you finish the job you're supposed to do. Clean your own office and get used to the thermostat set to 50. You're way too comfortable when others are suffering. Buy your own lunch, you're furloughed until you do your job.
Maybe it’s time for a simple majority (51) to pass spending bills.
Earmarks suck big time and can lead to hidden corruption. The last thing we need now... more corruption.
It’s well past the time. Nuke it already!!
Thanks Kaslin.
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