Republicans Ponder Not Adopting a Budget This Year

[CShine]

They have tried sweet-talk and dire warnings, insults and bluffing tactics. None of it has worked, which is why a growing number of Republicans are beginning to despair about agreeing on a budget plan for next year. Embarrassing as that would be for the party that controls both houses of Congress, many Republicans are concluding they would be better off with no budget plan than with one that would require them to pay the cost of permanently extending last year's tax cuts.

Senate Republican leaders, back from their Memorial Day recess, showed little sign on Wednesday of persuading a small band of rebels within their own party to drop their insistence on "pay as you go" rules. The four Republican dissenters, joined by most Democrats, are demanding rules that would force Congress to pay the cost of any new tax cuts either with spending cuts or tax increases in other areas.

The impasse has already undermined President Bush's top domestic goal, which is to make the tax cuts permanent, and it will apparently postpone major budget decisions until after the elections. It has also exposed a rift over Republican priorities: Is it more important to cut taxes or to prevent the budget deficit from expanding beyond its current level of about $400 billion?

The White House and House Republicans have staunchly opposed any such restrictions, because permanently extending Mr. Bush's tax cuts would cost about $1.7 trillion over the next 10 years.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/03/politics/03budget.html

[demnan]

1. WHAT????

How do they intend to run the government without a budget? That would just suspend the government! With no money all social programs will cease and they will just have their military.

Republican wet dream.

[Bandit]

18. If I recall there was no budget passed in 2001 because of 9-11

The government continued to spend spend spend spend spend like a drunken sailor.

[Miss Authoritiva]

20. To be fair to drunken sailors, they don't

levy regressive taxes and they do eventually sober up.

[Beetwasher]

2. This Is An AWESOME Piece of Ammunition In The Upcoming Election!

I REALLY hope they fail to pass a budget.

The DO NOTHING GOP CONTROLLED GOV'T CANT PASS A SIMPLE FUCKING BUDGET!!! INCOMPETENT MORONS!!!

[kerrycrat2k4]

7. The repugs are deadmeat this fall

Remember the furloughs in the 90's. That worked so well for Gingrich. hahahah

[schultzee]

14. Hope you are right! We need to get the bloated rePIGS out!

[UpInArms]

3. then they will have to work all through July per the Budget Rules

http://www.house.gov/rules/98-472.htm

When Congress includes reconciliation directives in the budget resolution, it also includes instructions to one or more committees to submit their legislative recommendations to their respective house's Budget Committees by a certain date. In addition, Congress may include a deadline by which the House must complete action on reconciliation legislation, superseding the June 15 deadline in the Budget Act.

While the deadlines in the budget timetable generally are prescriptive, the 1974 CBA sets forth procedural rules to encourage adherence to the timetable. First, Section 309 prohibits the consideration of a resolution providing for an adjournment period of more than three calendar days during the month of July until the House has approved the annual appropriations bills for the upcoming fiscal year. Second, if reconciliation legislation is required by the budget resolution, Section 310(f) prohibits the consideration of a resolution providing for an adjournment period of more than three calendar days as well until the House has completed action on the reconciliation legislation.

[belle]

6. Hahaha. I hope their A.C. fails, too.

ratfuckers.

[gratuitous]

4. Well, I'm sure our faultless media

Will be giving this little trial balloon all the consideration and excoriation it deserves, just like their fair, patient and understanding treatment of the idea that Kerry should delay accepting the Democratic nomination so as to be able to spend campaign funds more freely.

And maybe, if that happens, I should stand up so that the monkeys can fly out of my butt unfettered.

[UpInArms]

13. that's gonna hurt!

[damnraddem]

5. Republicans ponder not ...

getting a brain this year. "We've gone years now without one, so why go to the trouble now?"

[skypilot]

8. "Fiscally responsible" Republicans...

...hard at work being fiscally responsible. How did we ever drag ourselves through those awful Clinton years. Thank God these guys are finally on the job.

[Old and In the Way]

9. Republicans: The Party of Fiscal Responsibility

My arse.

Can't pass a budget resolution with majority control over House and Senate and WH? Wonder why? Maybe because they can't reconcile their irresponsible tax cuts?

[central scrutinizer]

10. cross reference *'s leaked 2006 budget numbers

where all of the programs he is touting on the campaign trail are scheduled for massive cuts. The borrow-and-spend candy store is just about closed. Krugman wrote about this a couple of days ago.

[TrogL]

11. In a Parliamentary system, this would bring down the government

Pity you don't have the Vote of Non-confidence

[struggle4progress]

12. So this is why they're dusting off the Balanced Budget Amendment

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=597818

A diversionary tactic for every fiasco ...

[sangh0]

15. And some DUers think the Dems have no spine!!!

I'd like to ask them who they think stopped the Repukes? Nader?

[Jacobin]

16. Um...........the articles say it is the renegade republicans

joining with the Dems that are stopping it. They had to have company apparently

Premature rejoicing.

[Bandit]

19. It is very difficult for the minority to stop the majority without some

defections. It was because of Snowe and Chaffee and such that this has come to this. I'm sure Zell Miller didn't help the Democrats a bit. He is rather "Centrist" you know.

[abelenkpe]

22. Centrist?

Blithering fool is probably more accurate, dontcha think?

[mot78]

17. If they think they can blame Pelosi and Dachle, they're suicidal or stupid

[GOPBasher]

21. It is fu**ing outrageous: make tax cuts permanent? With this debt we have?

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr :mad:

[snippy]

23. This may provide a nice opportunity for Kerry to hurt Bush with his base.

The failure to pass a budget is not that big of a deal by itself, it has happened before, most recently in 2001 when it was blocked in the democratic controlled Senate. However, a failure to pass a budget this year will not be based on partisan politics as much as on fiscal responsibility. And that is where the opportunity may be.

Kerry should point out that when the "pay as you go" provision was adopted in 1990 it began to reduce the deficit and help the economy. Kerry should praise Poppy Bush for putting principles before politics and agreeing to the budget deal in 1990 and raising taxes as a part of that deal. Kerry should say Poppy and John McCain are from the old republican party, which was fiscally responsible unlike the current republican party. The more Kerry praises Poppy for raising taxes the better. Bush will have to either defend the 1990 tax increase or criticize Poppy. If Bush even hints at defending or approving of Poppy's tax increase, the Tax Cut Monkeys will begin exploding with hatred. Many will see it as Bush deja vu doo doo.

[rfkrocks]

24. In election year republicans don't ponder they PANDER

They only ponder in non election years how to loot the store and stick it to us