Tired of shutdown battles? This bill would end them for good
Source: Washington post
Tired of fretting about government shutdowns? Budget lapses would be a thing of the past under a new proposal from a House Democrat who wants to put an end to them for good.
Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) said this week that he is seeking co-sponsors for a Shut Down the Shutdowns Act that would automatically extend existing appropriations levels for another fiscal year whenever Congress fails to fund agencies before their money expires.
It changes the default from shutdown to the same budget, Grayson said during an interview with The Post on Tuesday. I dont think the founders ever intended us to face one shutdown after another.
Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/wp/2015/03/05/tired-of-shutdown-battles-this-bill-would-end-them-for-good/?hpid=z2
Absolutely LOVE this idea!
RKP5637
(67,031 posts)Scuba
(53,475 posts)peacebird
(14,195 posts)lark
(23,003 posts)Scuba
(53,475 posts)... the Repukes try to pull their shutdown scam.
Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if Wall Street made them do it.
daleanime
(17,796 posts)iemitsu
(3,888 posts)if it meant that we got to elect new representatives.
The ones who shut it down have admitted they can't or won't do the job so they should step down if they can't fulfill the job they were elected to do.
Then we could choose others, who might get the job done.
annabanana
(52,791 posts)Congress and the Pres.
Millions of people's lives are disrupted every time this happens.
iemitsu
(3,888 posts)if they conclude that shutting the government down is the best they can do.
SunSeeker
(51,367 posts)hughee99
(16,113 posts)Congress's job is to pass a budget and fund the various departments. A president or congress could decide they like the old budget just fine and force this policy into action. Yes, some people think it's a good idea now, but may feel differently when an older funding plan benefits the republican agenda. I very much dislike the idea of congress passing rules about things that happen "automatically", because we end up with shitty policy and everyone in congress saying, don't blame me, I didn't vote for it, like the sequestration.
obxhead
(8,434 posts)A better option would be a to freeze the assets of congress and stop their pay until the budget is resolved.
There would never be risk of shutdown again.
annabanana
(52,791 posts)or at least add some urgency to their deliberations...
Stonepounder
(4,033 posts)so cutting their pay wouldn't matter to them, they probably wouldn't even notice. So long, of course, they still got the funds to pay their staffers.
Action_Patrol
(845 posts)A Little Weird
(1,754 posts)I think they should automatically extend the existing budget for one week at a time but require Congress to remain in session without pay until they get the new budget passed. There must be some way to actually force them to do their job.
old guy
(3,281 posts)Irrelevant as it will never see the light of day with this House. Shutdown is a very powerful propaganda tool for the right wing crazies. The fact that it has accomplished nothing is no problem for them. It supplies red meat for their base.
oldandhappy
(6,719 posts)Would like to see Congress have to give up their paychecks also if something expires without 'decision' i.e. refund or cancel with a vote. Definitely we need to stop the shut downs -- very expensive and very unsettling.
drm604
(16,230 posts)Sparhawk60
(359 posts)The article did not say if it would extend the actual dollar amount of the budget for the last year, or will they add in the 'normal increases". Ff they kept the dollar amount static, this would be great way to slowly bring the budget under control.
I have read to many articles talking about 'cutting military spending" just to read military spending will still increase, they are just cut the the rate of increase.
madokie
(51,076 posts)Gotta love Grayson. If ever we had someone on our side he is it.
Hey Alan why don't you come back and share ideas with us here on DU like you used to, bro'. You would be amongst friends here.