Every time your Democratic friends and interlocutors accuse the House Republicans of being an obstructionist “do-nothing” chamber of Congress, remind them of this fact: as of today, December 27, 2011, it has been 972 days since Senate Democrats passed a a budget.
And during that nearly three-year period, the president’s party enjoyed a supermajority in that legislative chamber for two full years, with a filibuster-proof majority for almost seven months. January 24, 2012, the same day as the president’s State of the Union address will mark the 1,000th day since the chamber his party controls has passed a budget. Wonder how many media outlets will remind us of that fact.
Oh, and “annual budgets cannot be filibustered.”
It took House Republicans only 104 days after returning to majority status in the House to pass a budget.
Now, to be sure, the president did propose a budget for FY 2012 and it did come up for a vote in the Democratic-majority Senate. Problem is is that it didn’t garner a single Democratic vote.
Do hope we see more scrutiny of the Democratic budgetary failure in our mainstream media. But, I’m not holding my breath.
“It’s George Bush’s Fault!!1!11!(tm)”
The last one they passed, they withheld until 0bama was in office so he could sign (and I think it was very late iirc, like April?). Then they just decided not to do their job and use that as an excuse to raid the national piggy bank.
Got an e-mail from Sen. Nelson that his new year’s resolution is to fight even harder for Florida (but apparently only if we send him $50,000). Whatta turd.
And has it ever occurred to these morons that folks might be more inclined to send them money if, you know, they had jobs and were able to keep more of the money they earned?
You don’t need no stinkin’ budget when you got printing presses and endless paper and ink.
Besides, if the Republicans try to slow down the printing, everyone knows that grandma will suffocate, bridges will collapse, the police and fire departments will be cut to one day a week and poor children will starve on the sidewalks.
And the Republican Conrgresscritters will stand around with their teeth in their mouths as the Democrats tar and feather them.
As an outsider to your system I find it extraordinary that it can be possible for your government to not pass a budget on an annual basis.
In our system it has to be done annually, otherwise, the government has no authority for expenditure for the following year.
How on earth is it possible for your government not to pass a budget for close to 3 years and still continue to operate?
Greg
Melbourne, OZ
Greg, they keep on passing continuing resolutions, keeping the budget funded at the previous year’s level–but with minor adjustments.