White House Says House is in Play, And Here’s One Reason Why

President’s Bipartisan Debt Commission Calls Debt a ‘Cancer’ That Threatens to ‘Destroy the Country from Within’:

“The co-chairs of President Obama’s debt and deficit commission offered an ominous assessment of the nation’s fiscal future here Sunday, calling current budgetary trends a cancer ‘that will destroy the country from within’ unless checked by tough action in Washington… Bowles said that unlike the current economic crisis, which was largely unforeseen before it hit in the fall of 2008, the coming fiscal calamity is staring the country in the face. ‘This one is as clear as a bell,’ he said. ‘This debt is like a cancer.’” (Dan Balz, “Obama’s Debt Commission Warns of Fiscal ‘Cancer,’” Washington Post, 7/12/10)

Democrats Still Can’t Defend The Indefensible: Republicans Hold Opponents Accountable For Failure To Lay Out Blueprint for Less Spending:

Washington Post Columnist Calls Dem Maneuvers ‘A Dereliction of Duty’: “For all the publicity that goes to earmarks and other spending gimmicks, this was a far worse dereliction of duty. And the cynicism of the maneuver just made it worse…The terrible irony in all this? More and more people are seeing that what this agonizing situation requires is a limited and temporary measure to pump more life into the economy and create jobs, along with a serious commitment to impose real spending discipline and hold down deficits in the long term — exactly what a five-year budget resolution could provide…Of all the times for Congress to abandon its responsibility for long-term fiscal planning, this is the worst.” (David S. Broder, “House budget plan? A dereliction of duty,” Washington Post, 07/08/10)

NRCC Goes On Air: “National Republicans will begin airing TV ads today that accuse U.S. Rep. John Spratt of failing to do his job as House budget chairman. The spot shows a grainy image of Spratt walking down a street with a subtitle that says “Nancy Pelosi’s Budget Chairman.” Later, the ad faults the York Democrat for ‘refusing to write a budget’…This is the first time the House has failed to propose a budget since the Congressional Budget Act of 1974…GOP strategists hope to gain ground with ads paid for by the National Republican Congressional Committee.” (Matt Garfield, “National GOP To Air Spots Against S.C.’s Spratt,” Rock Hill Herald, 7/1/10)

Democrats Face Opposition During Recess: “‘No budget, no priorities, no restraints—just turn the spending spigot on,’ Mr. Ryan said. Republicans are stressing that argument while lawmakers are in their home districts. The National Republican Congressional Committee, which coordinates GOP House campaigns, is airing ads in Mr. Spratt’s district saying he ‘refuses to write a budget to rein in his party’s runaway spending’…Republicans are airing a similar ad against Rep. Chet Edwards (D., Texas), another vulnerable Budget Committee member…More than 20 GOP candidates have made press statements attacking their Democratic rivals over the budget.” (Naftali Bendavid and Greg Hitt, “Lawmakers Carry Budget Battle Home During Recess,” Wall Street Journal, 07/10/10)

NRCC Chairman Sessions: Everyone Budgets…Except Democrats:“‘This is not a niche issue,’ NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions (Texas) said. ‘People back home in every municipality, every company, even a small business has to have a budget.’ For two Democratic incumbents, the attacks will be personal. The NRCC will launch an ad on Thursday attacking Budget Chairman John Spratt (D-S.C.) and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for failing to usher a budget through the House for the first time in three decades.” (Jackie Kucinich and Kathleen Hunter, “Parties Issue Their Recess Marching Orders,” Roll Call, 7/1/10)

20+ GOP Candidates Slam Dems for Failure to Govern: “Republican congressional candidates have spent months attacking Democrats for their legislative accomplishments: passing the Recovery Act and health care reform, and voting a climate change bill through the House of Representatives. Now, GOP hopefuls are turning their fire on incumbents for something they haven’t accomplished: passing a new federal budget. Over the last week, more than 20 Republican House candidates have been attacking their Democratic opponents for failing to enact a fresh spending plan this year, in a concerted campaign to paint the majority party as fiscally irresponsible.” (Alex Isenstadt, “GOP Challengers Hit Missing Budget,” Politico, 6/24/10)

Stivers: Kilroy’s Budget Sham Sets Stage for Tax Hikes, Financial Catastrophe: “Kilroy’s Republican opponent, former state Sen. Steve Stivers, pilloried the incumbent over her vote. In a press release headlined, ‘Mary Jo Kiljobs Ducks and Runs: Sets Stage for Tax Hikes & Financial Panic,’ the Stivers campaign said the vote undermines confidence in the entire U.S. economy. ‘The congresswoman was sent to Washington to make tough decisions and stand up for Ohio families and she’s failed. She either couldn’t vote because she didn’t understand it or because she was too much of a coward to make the right decision – either way she shouldn’t be in office,’ John Damschroder, spokesman for the Stivers campaign, said in a press release. (James Nash, “Tax Hikes & Financial Panic!!! Oh No!” Columbus Dispatch, 7/7/10)

Debicella Calls Himes’ Budget Impasse ‘Disgraceful’: “State Sen. Dan Debicella, R-Shelton, said it was disgraceful that Congress couldn’t reach a consensus on the spending, which he said has skyrocketed during Himes’ first 18 months in Washington, because of what he called misguided government programs such as the $787 billion economic stimulus. ‘The fact that they’ve been able to pass a budget every year since 1974, I think, shows the fact that they are scared,’ said Debicella…‘One of the fundamental jobs of a legislature is to pass a budget.’” (Neil Vigdor, “Debicella Blames Himes, Congress for Failing to Pass a Budget,” Connecticut Post, 6/25/10)

Berg Links Budget to Fiscal Responsibility: “In an appearance in Minot alongside Kevin McCarthy, the House Republican Deputy Whip from California, candidate Rick Berg encouraged greater fiscal responsibility in Washington. He says you cannot balance a budget that does not exist and that Congress is turning a blind eye to the nation`s deficit. ‘We need to make Washington more like North Dakota, where we do put a budget,’ Berg says. ‘And we’re honest with the people. People get to see the budget and they’ll understand what we’re voting for.’ (Jacob Kaucher, “Berg Blames Pomeroy on Budget,” KFYR-TV, 7/9/10)

Hurt: Perriello Has ‘Failed’ Taxpayers: “GOP 5th District candidate Robert Hurt criticized Democrat incumbent Tom Perriello and his fellow congressional Democrats on Wednesday after news the House won’t pass a budget for the 2011 fiscal year, given the national deficit…‘Passing a budget is one of the fundamental responsibilities that our elected officials have,’ Hurt said in the statement, ‘and it’s disappointing that Nancy Pelosi, Tom Perriello and the Democratic-controlled Congress have failed American taxpayers.’” (Catherine Amos, “Hurt Criticizes Perriello, Congress on Budget,” Danville Register & Bee, 7/12/10)