Still No Budget from Target Democrats

Washington- As the nation’s economy continues to suffer from the drag created by the Democrats’ relentless spending agenda, Betsy Markey and her friends in Washington still can’t get around to creating a budget for the upcoming fiscal year. One would think that with the country’s finances spiraling out of control, Markey and her colleagues in the Democrat majority would aim to provide a blueprint for economic recovery. Unfortunately for taxpayers, though, Democrats refuse to do the business of governing and will likely limp toward November without a budget in place:

“Facing the uncomfortable reality that the federal government’s 2011 budget shows record levels of red ink, congressional Democrats may resolve the politically thorny situation by simply refusing to pass a budget resolution this election year.

“With voters in no mood to hear about Washington’s $1.3-trillion deficit, some moderate and conservative Democrats say they would rather sit this one out. They have found common cause with liberal colleagues who don’t want to pass spending cuts, especially while the economy is still struggling.” (Lisa Mascaro, “Budget Woes? Just Don’t Pass One,” Los Angeles Times, 5/22/10)

And now, fellow Democrats are running for cover, attempting to avoid political blame by making hollow calls for the party leaders they support to finally take action:

“Freshman House Democrats are pressing leaders to do a budget resolution this year even as senior Democrats lay the groundwork to skip it.

“Several of these freshmen face tough reelection campaigns this year and could benefit politically from passing an austere budget. Republican challengers have made the $13 trillion debt central to their argument against the Democratic majority.” (Walter Alarkon, “Freshman House Dems Push Their Leaders to Approve Budget Resolution,” The Hill, 5/22/10)

Even Democrat leaders have gone on the record to say that budgeting is one of the fundamental duties of a governing majority in Congress, but these same leaders are now turning a blind eye to the nation’s looming fiscal crisis:

In 2006, as Democrats were pushing to take control of the House and Republicans were hamstrung by their own budget woes, [Spratt] said: “If you can’t budget, you can’t govern.” (Jonathan Allen, “Budget Looms Over Midterm Elections,” Politico, 5/10/10)

“Boehner dug up an old quote from House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) who previously said the ‘most basic responsibility of governing is to pass a budget.’” (Jake Sherman, “John Boehner Slams ‘Inability to Govern,” Politico, 5/13/10)

“If Betsy Markey can’t get her party leaders to get around to the business of governing, then she is failing the Colorado families she was elected to represent,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “Taxpayers are buried under mountains of debt from the Democrats’ big-spending policies, but Markey and the radical party bosses she supports are too afraid of the political consequences to follow through on one of their most fundamental duties. With Colorado families tightening their belts and trimming their own budgets, Markey and her Washington friends just can’t stop spending on the taxpayer dime – and they refuse to be up-front about where that money is going.”