The federal budget all but disappeared in early February, just after President Obama sent his plan for fiscal 2011 to Capitol Hill. In the more than six weeks since that budget was released, we’ve barely heard a word about what the administration proposed.
fiscal 2011 budget
My column from this morning's Roll Call explains why House Speaker John Boehner is probably feeling a bit lonely this week.
Shutdown Countdown: How Lonely Is Boehner?
By Stan Collender
Roll Call Contributing Writer
April 5, 2011, Midnight
You really have to wonder if Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) is feeling as if the whole world is against him. With only a few days left before a budget-related shutdown of the federal government could begin, Boehner appears to have a distinct lack of political friends as the negotiations and behind-the-scenes jockeying continue. On this issue at least, Boehner seems to be about as isolated as a Speaker can get.
Bookmark/Search this post with
Honestly, could the writers on "Saturday Night" or The Daily Show Live possible top this from this report by Amanda Terkel and Nick Wing in Tuesday's Huffington Post on some of the truly stupid amendments offered to the continuing resolution considered this week by the House:
Bookmark/Search this post with
The question I got over the weekend was whether the inevitable decision to go with a continuing resolution that keeps the federal government funded only until March means there won't be a big fight over the debt ceiling next year. Because the existing debt ceiling currently is assumed to be reached close to the same date the the CR will expire, won't the two issues be combined into a single piece of legislation?
First, all projections of when the debt ceiling will be reached should be considered to be highly subject to change. This is especially the case now because of the substantial upward revisions in GDP growth that are being made on Wall Street and elsewhere. Faster growth implies lower spending and higher revenues than was previously assumed and, therefore, reduced borrowing needs by the federal government.
Bookmark/Search this post with
My column from today's The Fiscal Times explains why getting this year's appropriations enacted before the fiscal year begins on October 1 is very unlikely.
Apr 14, 2010
For logistical, procedural and political reasons, the Democratic congressional leadership is seriously considering postponing votes on the fiscal 2011 appropriations bills — the legislation that keeps the government funded and therefore operating — until after the November midterm election. Under the plan being discussed, the debate on the spending bills would be delayed until the lame-duck session of Cong
Bookmark/Search this post with
My column from today's Fiscal Times explains why and how the federal budget is about to reemerge as an issue
The Federal Budget and Deficit Will Soon Return to the Headlines
Mar 17, 2010
Bookmark/Search this post with
