Byron York: GOP may use debt ceiling to force Harry Reid to pass budget

[Geee]

Washington Examiner:

Tuesday marks the 1,350th day since the Senate passed a budget. The law requires Congress to pass a budget every year, on the grounds that Americans deserve to know how the government plans to spend the trillions of taxpayer dollars it collects, along with dollars it borrows at the taxpayers' expense. But Majority Leader Harry Reid, who last allowed a budget through the Senate in April 2009, has ignored the law since then.

There's no mystery why. The budget passed by large Democratic majorities in the first months of the Obama administration had hugely elevated levels of spending in it. By not passing a new spending plan since, Reid has in effect made those levels the new budgetary baseline. Congress has kept the government going with continuing resolutions based on the last budget signed into law.

While Reid has forbidden action, the House has passed budgets as required. Senate Democrats have been highly critical of those budgets, designed by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan. But under Reid's leadership, Democrats have steadfastly refused to come up with a plan of their own.

[Draggingtree]

Dems Have LAMS-Sized Sack To Be On About Our ‘Broken’ System

Posted on | January 8, 2013 | 3 Comments and 0 Reactions

by Smitty

Large Area Maintenance Shelters are for when you’re packin’ it military style. And who in Congress really has that kinda gear besides Dingy Hairy?

Tuesday marks the 1,350th day since the Senate passed a budget. The law requires Congress to pass a budget every year, on the grounds that Americans deserve to know how the government plans to spend the trillions of taxpayer dollars it collects, along with dollars it borrows at the taxpayers’ expense. But Majority Leader Harry Reid, who last allowed a budget through the Senate in April 2009, has ignored the law since then.

Who does Reid think he is? David Gregory? snip

http://theothermccain.com/2013/01/08/dems-have-lams-sized-sack-to-be-on-about-our-broken-system/

[clearvision]

"GOP may NOT use debt ceiling to......" would be a more likely title.

[Draggingtree]

"GOP may NOT use debt ceiling to......" would be a more likely title.

don't lose your faith in the "good old boys"

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Fox News:

Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions is trying a new strategy to get the Senate to pass a budget, saying lawmakers should not increase the debt ceiling until the Democrat-controlled chamber finally passes a spending plan.

Congress will have to address three critical fiscal issues that each have deadlines over the next two-to-three months -- the debt ceiling, automatic federal spending cuts known as sequestration and a budget resolution.

Federal law requires Congress to pass a budget plan every year. But while the Republican-controlled House has annually passed budgets, the Senate has not passed one since April 2009 --- making the Senate technically 1,350 days overdue. Congress instead operates on a series of short-term spending plans. The current resolution expires March 27.

While many Republicans want to use the debt-ceiling vote to extract spending cuts, Sessions, the top Republican on the Senate Budget Committee, sees it as a way to finally produce a budget.

"If President Obama wants another loan from the American people, then his party controlling the Senate owes them a budget plan detailing how their money will be spent,” Sessions spokesman Stephen Miller said Monday. “There is growing support for incorporating this legal and moral principle into the debt ceiling."

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Getting Harry Reid to do his job.