In the 112th Congress, Senate Democrats Haven’t Even Proposed A Budget
As a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2006, Claire McCaskill (D-MO) repeatedly expressed her support for a balanced budget and routinely pilloried Republicans for their fiscal record in Washington.
Yet today marks a full 750 days since McCaskill and the Democrat-controlled Senate have passed ANY budget, let alone a balanced budget, something which McCaskill has also never once helped to pass since coming to Washington. In fact, in the current 112th Congress, Senate Democrats have yet to even propose a budget, let alone debate and pass one. And in just the 750 days since McCaskill and her fellow Democrats who run the Senate have failed to pass a budget, the federal debt has risen by an additional $3.1 trillion.
“Every month, every Missouri family has to put together a budget and live within their means, yet Claire McCaskill and her fellow liberal Democrats in Washington apparently don’t believe they should be held to that same standard,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Chris Bond. “Passing a federal budget each year is the most basic responsibility of the Congress, but for more than four years Claire McCaskill has been content to kick the can down the road and keep maxing out the government credit card. Now here we are after 750 days, and McCaskill and her fellow Democrats won’t even propose a budget, let alone pass one.”
Background…
As Democrats continue to spend, Americans are still waiting for their budget:
- “… it’s been more than 700 days since the Democrat-controlled Senate has actually passed a budget.” (Andrew Stiles, “Conrad the Cowardly Budget Chair?” National Review, 05/06/11)
- “It has been more than 700 days since Senate Democrats have voted on a budget. Republicans sent a letter to Conrad this week demanding to see a budget before they are forced to vote on it. Conrad has not responded.” (Conn Carroll, “Morning Examiner: The most important number of the week,” The Examiner, 05/06/11)
- “Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) says he has no immediate plans to mark up a budget, as members of his committee continue to disagree over spending cuts and tax increases….Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) cast doubt on whether Conrad’s effort will succeed. ‘I don’t know there is going to be a Conrad budget,’ Baucus said.” (Alex Bolton, Senate Dems’ Budget In Limbo, The Hill 5/17/2011)
Since the Democrat-controlled Senate last passed a budget, the federal debt has risen by an additional $3.1 trillion:
- On April 27, 2009, The National Debt Was $11.2 Trillion. (Treasury Direct Website, www.treasurydirect.gov, Accessed 5/18/11)
- Today, The National Debt Is Over $14.3 Trillion. (Treasury Direct Website, www.treasurydirect.gov, Accessed 5/18/11)
And aside from not passing a budget, Senate Democrats aren’t doing much of anything else either:
- “The legislative snoozefest that has been the U.S. Senate this year isn’t likely to change anytime soon …” (Steven T. Dennis, “Senate Faces Modest Agenda as Debt Limit Looms,” Roll Call, 05/01/11)
- “Even the modest agenda laid out by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has begun to stall.” (Steven T. Dennis, “Senate Faces Modest Agenda as Debt Limit Looms,” Roll Call, 05/01/11)
- “Through last week, the Senate had held only 70 roll-call votes, the lowest level through this point in the year since 1997. About a quarter of those votes have been on nominations — many of them noncontroversial.” (Manu Raju, “Slow-go Senate avoids tough roll-call votes,” Politico, 05/18/11)
But As A Candidate For the Senate In 2006, Claire McCaskill Expressed Support For A Federal Balanced Budget:
- “McCaskill, Beaming As She Introduced Her Children, Mother, Sister And Husband, Said She Could ‘Smell Change’ In Her Travels Around Missouri, Which She Believes Wants To Return To A Time Of Balanced Budgets, National Security, Health Care And Prosperity For The Masses . . . .” (Cheryl Wittenauer, “Former President Clinton Stumps In For McCaskill In St. Louis,” The Associated Press, 9/9/06)
- During Her 2006 Campaign For U.S. Senate, McCaskill Said “This Is All About Change . . . Let’s Bring Some Common Sense Back To The Equation,” And Noted The Budget Had Not Been Balanced. “‘This is all about change,’ McCaskill said to raucous applause in Joplin on Wednesday, where more than 100 supporters crammed into the tiny Democratic Party headquarters. ‘Let’s bring some common sense back to the equation,’ McCaskill told about 45 voters Friday in Milan standing outside the county courthouse. ‘They’re not balancing the budget. They’ve got us in a mess in Iraq. They’ve done nothing to solve the immigration problem,’ she said of the GOP.” (Deirdre Shesgreen, “Down To The Wire Claire McCaskill Has Scoured Rural And Urban Missouri To Energize Democrats,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 11/5/06)
- McCaskill: “Well, You Know, I Think, To The Extent That I’ve Had To Multitask As A Single Mom With Three Kids And Do More With Less, I Think I Can Help Balance The Budget, Because I’ve Had To Do That In My Life.” (MSNBC, 11/8/06)
- “State Auditor Claire McCaskill . . . Said She Supports The Line-Item Veto. ‘I’m For Getting Rid Of Any Excuse The Republicans Have To Keep Them From Balancing The Budget,’ McCaskill Said In A Written Statement.” (Jason Rosenbaum, “Veto Power Faces Hurdle Talent And McCaskill Favor Line-Item,” Columbia [MO] Daily Tribune, 6/30/06)
