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WillyT

(72,631 posts)
Tue Oct 8, 2013, 04:07 PM Oct 2013

In Case You Missed This... The Senate Continuing Resolution Is Already a Compromise - CFAP

The Senate Continuing Resolution Is Already a Compromise
By Michael Linden and Harry Stein - CFAP
September 30, 2013

<snip>

The Senate-passed measure to keep the government operating represents an enormous compromise by progressives to avoid a damaging government shutdown. The Democrat-controlled Senate agreed to temporary funding levels that are far closer to the Republican-controlled House budget plan than they are to the Senate’s own budget for fiscal year 2014. Moreover, this concession is only the latest of many such compromises over the past several years.

The Democrat-controlled Senate passed a continuing resolution, or CR—a temporary funding measure meant to keep the government operating—that would set the relevant funding levels at an annualized total of $986 billion. That’s about $70 billion less than what the Senate endorsed as part of its comprehensive budget plan back in April. But that actually understates the extent of the compromise.



<snip>

More: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/budget/news/2013/09/30/76026/the-senate-continuing-resolution-is-already-a-compromise/




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In Case You Missed This... The Senate Continuing Resolution Is Already a Compromise - CFAP (Original Post) WillyT Oct 2013 OP
Yep. The continuing resolution GUTS the budget to Ryan levels. kestrel91316 Oct 2013 #1
That is pertty maddening when you look at it el_bryanto Oct 2013 #2
This isn't getting enough play.... Wounded Bear Oct 2013 #3
DURec leftstreet Oct 2013 #4
The clean CR temporarily funds the Government. It's different from the Senate budget. ProSense Oct 2013 #5
It's not a compromise unless Turbineguy Oct 2013 #6
Kick! n/t ProSense Oct 2013 #7
At least one Republican admitted Reid compromised on the budget! See 2nd article >>> Roland99 Oct 2013 #8
Yes it is! It's essentially the sequestration continued. n/t hootinholler Oct 2013 #9
Kick !!! WillyT Oct 2013 #10
Ain't that cute. K&R PETRUS Oct 2013 #11

el_bryanto

(11,804 posts)
2. That is pertty maddening when you look at it
Tue Oct 8, 2013, 04:10 PM
Oct 2013

But then again some of my relatives feel that the current Government Shut Down is close to the ideal level of Government Service.

Bryant

ProSense

(116,464 posts)
5. The clean CR temporarily funds the Government. It's different from the Senate budget.
Tue Oct 8, 2013, 04:14 PM
Oct 2013
The clean CR temporarily funds the Government. It's different from the Senate budget.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023794742

I don't think people are interested.

Text of that OP:

The clean CR to fund the Government temporarily is different from the Senate budget, which ends the sequestration. The Senate passed a budget back in April, but is being blocked by Republicans.

The clean CR is compromise offered by Boehner. The Senate passed it, and Republicans shut down the Government despite that.

GOP Rep Admits Reid Compromised On Shutdown Negotiations (before the shutdown)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023792345

The Senate Continuing Resolution Is Already a Compromise

The morning sun illuminates the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Monday, September 30, 2013, as the government teeters on the brink of a partial shutdown at midnight unless Congress can reach an agreement on funding.

By Michael Linden and Harry Stein

The Senate-passed measure to keep the government operating represents an enormous compromise by progressives to avoid a damaging government shutdown. The Democrat-controlled Senate agreed to temporary funding levels that are far closer to the Republican-controlled House budget plan than they are to the Senate’s own budget for fiscal year 2014. Moreover, this concession is only the latest of many such compromises over the past several years.

The Democrat-controlled Senate passed a continuing resolution, or CR—a temporary funding measure meant to keep the government operating—that would set the relevant funding levels at an annualized total of $986 billion. That’s about $70 billion less than what the Senate endorsed as part of its comprehensive budget plan back in April. But that actually understates the extent of the compromise.

When President Barack Obama first took office in 2009, his budget proposed $1.203 trillion in discretionary spending for FY 2014. The Senate CR is about $216 billion, or nearly 18 percent, lower than that. Actual enacted funding levels for FY 2010, when the Democrats controlled both chambers of Congress, totaled $1.185 trillion in 2014 dollars. The Senate CR is about $200 billion below that, a cut of nearly 17 percent.

After the 2010 midterm elections, the Republican Party took control of the House of Representatives and offered a budget plan that proposed dramatic spending reductions. That plan, authored by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI), envisioned FY 2014 funding levels at $1.095 trillion. Note that the funding in the current Senate-passed CR is about 10 percent less than the levels in the original Ryan budget.

- more -

http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/budget/news/2013/09/30/76026/the-senate-continuing-resolution-is-already-a-compromise/

The piece above was linked to in a WaPo article comparing the funding levels. American Progress links to the different proposals, including the Senate budget.

Link to WaPo article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/with-shutdown-tea-party-lawmakers-see-the-culmination-of-years-of-effort-to-downsize-government/2013/10/02/3207126a-2ab3-11e3-8ade-a1f23cda135e_story.html

The President described the compromise temporary CR passed by the Senate.

Now, I want everybody to understand what's happened, because sometimes when this gets reported on everybody kind of thinks, well, you know, both sides are just squabbling; Democrats and Republicans, they're always arguing, so neither side is behaving properly. I want everybody to understand what's happened here. The Republicans passed a temporary budget for two months at a funding level that we, as Democrats, actually think is way too low because we’re not providing help for more small businesses, doing more for early childhood education, doing more to rebuild our infrastructure. But we said, okay, while we’re still trying to figure out this budget, we’re prepared to go ahead and take the Republican budget levels that they proposed.

So the Senate passed that with no strings attached -- not because it had everything the Democrats wanted. In fact, it had very little that the Democrats wanted. But we said, let’s go ahead and just make sure that other people aren’t hurt while negotiations are still taking place.

President Obama's speech detailed Republican belligerence in causing the Government shutdown
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023782420

The Senate budget, which ends the sequestration, is being blocked. The spending levels are lower than when first proposed (and the comparisons are being made based on that), but the proposals are completely different. Warren talks about it here.



This piece is from July 1:

Republican Obstruction Of Budget Process Hits 100th Day

By Alan Pyke

Monday marks 100 days since the Senate passed a budget amid bipartisan praise of the open process. But initial Republican eagerness to work on a budget has given way to the obstructionism that’s defined the Senate minority under Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

Over the past hundred days, Republicans have blocked 15 separate attempts to go to a budget conference with the House of Representatives. Now that the House and Senate have passed their own versions, each is supposed to appoint representatives to a committee that reconciles them into one bill that can be passed by each body and signed by the president.

The handful of Republicans who are blocking a conference on the 2014 budget cite a variety of reasons, including fears that the conference agreement would include a deal preventing another debt ceiling crisis. Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Marco Rubio (R-FL) have insisted that the conferees be barred from addressing the debt ceiling, which needs to be increased by this fall to avoid a catastrophic default on U.S. obligations. McConnell, who has praised the use of the debt ceiling as a pressure point for extracting spending cuts despite the tactic’s negative impact on the nation’s credit rating, is one of many prominent Republicans who demanded “regular order” on the budget. In January, he called for a speedy budget conference because “that’s how things are supposed to work around here.”

Yet McConnell has joined the Cruz/Paul/Rubio wing of his caucus in blocking progress on the budget over the past 100 days. Spokespeople for the Republican Senate leader did not respond to multiple requests for comment on Monday, but by joining with members like Paul he’s wrapped his arms around the obstructionists’ spin. According to a sign Paul’s staff whipped up for a May floor speech, they’re “Preventing A Back Room Deal To Raise The Debt Limit” and counting the days without budget conferees as a mounting victory.

- more -

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/07/01/2241941/republican-obstruction-of-budget-process-hits-100th-day/

That budget includes $100 billion in infrastructure spending.

<...>

The budget includes $100 billion of immediate infrastructure spending designed to boost the economy and raise $975 billion over the next decade through tax reform, which would eliminate various loopholes and tax expenditures.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/03/senate-passes-budget-after-all-night-debate.php

From American Progress, link to Senate's "comprehensive budget": http://www.budget.senate.gov/democratic/index.cfm/files/serve?File_id=85472b9c-d850-41bd-91df-94a68aa5d5ff

<...>

This budget replaces sequestration responsibly and invests in job creation to help families and the economy right away. It tackles our growing national deficits in education, infrastructure, and innovation to make sure we are laying down a strong foundation for broad-based economic growth for years to come. And it absolutely rejects a return to the failed trickle-down economic policies that devastated the middle class and led us to the Great Recession.

<...>


By cutting aid to vulnerable Americans, blocking a minimum-wage increase, blocking a jobs bill and infrastructure funding, trying to gut the EPA, voting to repeal Obamacare and pushing to shut down the government, Republicans are proving that they are callous assholes who don't give a damn about making people's lives better. In fact, their actions prove that they don't care if you die (by removing the protections of environmental regulations or returning to the status quo of denying you health care coverage).

The road not taken (Republicans have been holding the economy hostage for years)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023744622

The Complete Guide To The GOP’s Three-Year Campaign To Shut Down The Government
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023744676

Updated to add:

The House Republican tantrum that knows no end

By Steve Benen

The New York Times published a helpful chart the other day, which highlighted a nine-step process Congress would have to follow this week to avoid a government shutdown. As it happens, steps one through eight were completed with relative ease.

It was that ninth step that gave lawmakers trouble.

House Republicans not only gathered on a weekend to take a vote that moves the government even closer to a shutdown, they did it in the dead of night.

The Republican-controlled House voted around midnight on Saturday to keep the government open for a few more months in exchange for punting the rollout of Obamacare for a year -- the kind of shot at the health care law conservatives had wanted for weeks, even if it's sure to be rejected by the Democratic-controlled Senate.

By all appearances, House Republicans are now actively seeking a government shutdown, specifically aiming for their goal rather than making any effort to avoid it. Indeed, the unhinged House majority appears to have gone out of its way to craft a spending bill designed to fail.

The bill approved after midnight would deny health care benefits to millions of American families for a year, add to the deficit by repealing a medical-device tax industry lobbyists urged Republicans to scrap, and in a fascinating twist, make it harder for Americans to get birth control. As the New York Times report noted, "The delay included a provision favored by social conservatives that would allow employers and health care providers to opt out of mandatory contraception coverage."

Yes, in the midst of a budget crisis, the House GOP decided it was time to go after birth control again. Wow.

Senate leaders and the White House patiently tried to explain to radicalized House Republicans that voting for this would all but guarantee a government shutdown -- so House Republicans voted for it en masse...take a look at the roll call. Jonathan Bernstein asked on Friday, "Where are the sane House Republicans?" That question was answered quite clearly last night: literally every GOP lawmaker in the chamber voted for their government-shutdown plan. There were zero defections.

This was not, in other words, an isolated tantrum thrown by an extremist faction of a once-great political party. This was rather an organized tantrum thrown by the entirety of the House Republican caucus...I use the word "tantrum" largely because Republicans told me to. Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), a close ally of House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said in July, "Shutting down the government to get your way over an unrelated piece of legislation is the political equivalent of throwing a temper tantrum. It is just not helpful."

- more -

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/09/29/20742297-the-house-republican-tantrum-that-knows-no-end


Also, Republicans are getting desperate.

Republican Congressman Says GOP To Blame For Shutdown
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023794571

CNN: Desperate Republicans looking to end shutdown -- but just temporarily

by DefiantOne

I love the smell of right-wing conservative desperation in the morning:

One idea being considered to end the immediate fiscal impasse is a bill to fund the government and extend the nation's borrowing authority for six weeks, a senior Republican member of the House told CNN...

This idea of an extension being floated among Republicans would give everyone a temporary political reprieve. It would give them a way to reopen the government but bypass the issue of tying it to a change in Obamacare, as well as avert a crisis over whether to raise the nation's debt limit by Oct. 17 when the Treasury Department has said it will run out of money to pay its bills.

The House Republican told Borger it is "unfair" to promise conservatives in the country something Republicans in Congress just cannot deliver - the defunding of Obamacare.

The Democrats should hold firm until Republicans give up the charade and fund the government with no strings attached.

Still, Democrats probably don't mind letting conservative Republicans alienate even more by shutting down the government again in six weeks as it would the same way: a marginalized right-wing, an in-tact Affordable Care Act, and a government open for business despite the reckless sabotage of tea party radicals.

<...>

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/10/05/1244513/-CNN-Desperate-Republicans-looking-to-end-shutdown-but-just-temporarily








Roland99

(53,342 posts)
8. At least one Republican admitted Reid compromised on the budget! See 2nd article >>>
Tue Oct 8, 2013, 05:06 PM
Oct 2013

GOP Rep Admits Reid Compromised On Shutdown Negotiations
Harry Reid Compromised On Shutdown Negotiation, House Republican Acknowledges

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023794977

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