More than two months after Congress’ annual budget was due, House leadership believe they are finally close to producing something they could, at least euphemistically, call a “budget” — but without any of the tough decisions or politically undesirable votes necessary for a real budget resolution:
Key points on the “budget” plan, according to today’s The Hill:
Democrats have expressed concern about voting for a document showing lots of red ink in an election year.
House Democrats are readying an alternative budget measure that would set next year’s spending levels without requiring a vote on deficits.
House Budget Committee Chairman John Spratt (D-S.C.) said the alternative would be the “functional equivalent” of a full-fledged budget. But because it won’t be a traditional budget resolution, it will be silent on future deficits, which are expected to average nearly $1 trillion for the next decade.
In addition to setting spending levels for 2011, the alternative budget may have other provisions, such as squaring the pay-as-you-go law signed by President Barack Obama with the similar pay-as-you-go House rule, Spratt said. Both PAYGO measures require new tax cuts or entitlement programs be paid for with tax increases or spending cuts, but the House PAYGO rule, in place since before the law was enacted, can be more easily bypassed than the PAYGO law.
Clearly, no honest family or business would consider a document that ignores both the current and future consequences of its debt a serious fiscal plan. It’s just as unlikely they’ll buy this “budget” charade from Congress.
