McCaskill & Fellow Senate Democrats Once Again Shut Down Budget Process

As a candidate for the Senate in 2006, Claire McCaskill repeatedly invoked the mantra of fiscal responsibility and stressed the importance of a “pay-as-you-go” system.

Yet, in the less than six years McCaskill has been in the Senate, the federal debt has skyrocketed by trillions and trillions of dollars.  In fact, in the less than four years since President Obama took office and McCaskill has unabashedly supported every one of his big government spending programs, the government’s credit card bill has increased an additional $5 trillion — from $10.6 trillion to $15.6 trillion.

What’s worse – Senate Democrats have refused to pass a budget for over three years – 1,085 days to be exact.

And earlier today, McCaskill’s fellow Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee cancelled a planned markup of a federal budget for 2013, and announced that no action would be taken on the budget this year until after the November election.   As numerous news reports from Capitol Hill pointed out, McCaskill and her Democratic colleagues are apparently more concerned with their own re-elections than with tackling the country’s skyrocketing debt.

“The decision by Senator McCaskill to punt on a federal budget for the third year in a row makes clear that she’s more concerned with her own political survival than with trying to secure America’s economic future,” National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Lance Trover said today.  “Missourians expect Claire McCaskill to do her job, but for over 1,000 days she’s refused to fulfill the most basic duty of her office.” 

“Missouri deserves a Senator who is focused on doing what’s right for her state and her country and not what’s best for her own political career,” Trover concluded.   

BACKGROUND … 

CLAIRE MCCASKILL CAMPAIGNED ON FISCAL REFORM 

When Asked Why She Could Beat An Incumbent, McCaskill Said Missourians Have A Laundry List, Which Included “Incredible Overspending” And “Blowing The Deficit Out Of Control.” “MATTHEWS: “Welcome back to Hardball. . . . Why do you think you can beat an incumbent U.S. senator, Claire McCaskill?” MCCASKILL: “Well I just think Missourians frankly and I think most Americans have — there’s kind of a laundry list. I mean, you can start with incredible overspending, blowing the deficit out of control.” (MSNBC’s “Hardball,” 6/28/06)

BUT IT’S BEEN 1,085 DAYS SINCE MCCASKILL & HER DEMOCRAT COLLEAGUES HAVE PASSED A BUDGET 

APRIL 29, 2009:  The Senate has passed the President’s budget by a vote of 53-43. (Brian Beutler, The Budget Passes Both Houses, TPM, 04/29/09) 

WHICH IS LONGER THAN IT TOOK TO BUILD THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING

EMPIRE STATE BUILDING:  The [Empire State Building] was actually completed ahead of schedule, taking only one year and 45 days to build. (Jennifer Rosenberg, Empire State Building Facts, Accessed 01/23/12) 

AND IN 2012 MCCASKILL & HER FELLOW LIBERAL DEMOCRATS HAVE REFUSED TO EVEN INTRODUCE A BUDGET 

• The Hill: Sen. Conrad Backs Off Plan To Vote On Budget.  Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) bowed to pressure from fellow Democrats on Tuesday and postponed a committee vote on a 2013 budget resolution, most likely until after the November elections. 

• Congressional Quarterly: Conrad to Hold No Votes on Budget. Senate Budget Chairman Kent Conrad is offering a long-term deficit reduction plan at what he is calling a markup Wednesday, but the more immediate effect of his action will be to spare Democrats potentially difficult election year votes on spending priorities.  The North Dakota Democrat plans to offer his budget resolution without a final vote or possible amendments….Avoiding a vote also allows Conrad to meet the concerns of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who has insisted he will not bring a budget to the floor. 

• ·         ABC News: Senate Budget Chair Defends Kicking the Can Down the Road.  Why do today what you can put off until after Election Day?  Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D., has a plan for solving the nation’s debt crisis but doesn’t expect anything to get done before the fall election. 
• ·         Politico: Conrad budget a study in gridlock.  The Democratic-led Senate hasn’t passed a budget blueprint since April 2009, and it won’t do so again this spring as election-year pressures consume Capitol Hill. In fact, Conrad’s budget “markup” Wednesday won’t even be a real markup because senators won’t actually offer amendments or vote…. Last year, despite weeks of behind-the-scenes negotiations with his own conference, Conrad abandoned a budget markup after it became clear it lacked support from Democrats, who complained it was too conservative. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) sealed its fate, saying it was “foolish” to pass a budget as Vice President Joe Biden was negotiating a deal to raise the debt ceiling.  
• ·         Washington Post’s Right Turn: Senate Democrats Punt On The Budget, Again . Sen. Kent Conrad (D-S.D.) had a bright idea: The Senate should pass a budget. It was a fine insight, since it legally is supposed to do just that but hasn’t in about three years. He decided he would use the Simpson-Bowles debt commission proposal. Sounds like a respectable idea. But then the Senate Democrats and Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) swooped in, forcing Conrad to retreat. No votes on the budget! Don’t make us show our hand!