Days are passing one by one and we have yet to hear a word from the President or the Senate Democrats regarding their budget plan to carry through the end of the fiscal year; and no apparent concern about developing a budget for next year.
I suspect that failing to adopt a budget is not unprecedented otherwise the Republicans would be making a big deal of it. But from a common sense perspective I (and I hope you) am disappointed that when they had a chance to write and adopt a budget to their liking last summer and fall they chose not to for political reasons.
Since the first of the year, the government has been limping along from one Continuing Resolution to another. There are two significant events on the horizon that have a bearing on current discussions.
First, the existing CR will expire in a few more days creating another mini-crisis. Failing to adopt a budget or agreeing on another CR will “shut down the government” or not.
The Second Significant Event is the question of raising the debt ceiling. Should the Congress authorize itself to borrow even more money? Why in the world would we ever go along with that idea absent real commitment from Democrats to constructive discussions and substantial budget cuts?
Failing to offer a budget proposal is telling us the Democrats haven’t bothered to develop one. That bothers me. We elect our Senators and Representatives to manage the business of our country and they disrespect the process and our country by playing politics.
I am offended that the President and the Senate Democrats are willing to “play chicken” with our country’s future by refusing to offer alternatives to Republican proposals. If they came to the table with something to indicate they have been working on it, that would be one thing, but they offer no alternatives just denial.
Republicans have little power to bring the Democrats to the table except the willingness to not adopt another Continuing Resolution or refusing to raise the Debt Ceiling. We are at a point where we have to use that leverage.
The problem for me and a bunch of others is the failure of Republican leaders in the House to demonstrate they have the courage to play in a high stakes game. Don’t get me wrong, I am not suggesting that the preferred outcome is to “shut down the government” however that process might work, but I am willing to let it happen if the Democrats refuse to negotiate in good faith.
In my mind, the guy with a deal on the table first has the upper hand. We have a deal on the table. Republican leaders need to lead.
If all that was at stake was political posturing and one-upmanship, nobody would care who won this pissing contest, but we all know that is not the case.
American voters discovered they made a mistake when they elected Obama President and gave the Democrats a very significant majority in both houses of the Congress in 2008. The change they thought they were getting didn’t turn out to be the change they got so they switched again in 2010. The message the voters sent when they overwhelmingly elected Republicans was to reduce the deficit and get the economy back on track just like the candidates promised they would do when they ran. The voter message was overpowering when you consider how many elected bodies switched partisan majorities.
I will never forget the time when President Obama turned to Senator McCain and reminded him that he had won the election. There are consequences of elections.
If the Democrats refuse to come to the table with a budget proposal and a willingness to negotiate that recognizes the will of the voters in 2010, I would not blink. I would hold a sword to the back of Republican leaders who claim to stand for fiscal responsibility and push them to lead in this fight or step aside. This is a fight worth fighting!
No Loss for Words 
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