The Senate resumed post-cloture consideration of the motion to proceed to H.R. 2055, the Military Construction-Veterans Affairs (Milcon-VA) appropriations bill, one of the annual appropriations bills that are considered by Congress.
Yesterday, Democrats failed to get 60 votes to invoke cloture on Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid's(D-NV) symbolic resolution calling for “shared sacrifice” from millionaires (S. 1323), by a vote of 51-49. Two noted democrats, Sens. Ben Nelson, D-NE and Mark Pryor, D-AR, joined the Republicans in defeating this "hot-air" resolution.
Following that vote, the Senate voted 89-11 to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R. 2055, the Military Construction-Veterans Affairs (Milcon-VA) appropriations bill.
The House passed H.R. 2018 (239-184) to curb the EPA.Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act, would limit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s power to enforce water pollution provisions of the Clean Water Act. They also, passed (406-22) a bill to reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program for five years and shore up its troubled finances. The Senate must act by Sept. 30 to prevent the program from expiring.
But the big news yesterday was President Obama walk out. He apparently became frustrated over not getting his way decided to walk out of the debt negotiations with congressional leaders at the White House. As a community organizer, he has been used to ripping into established positions offered by others - he calls it compromise and uses words like "shared sacrifice." However, to date he can't his agenda back on track after loosing the US House last November. He fails to understand that it is his agenda of big government that is killing jobs, consuming valuable resources, and reducing the image of America in the world. Or, maybe he does understand and that is truly a matter of grave concern.
Obama left the room when Republicans identified that there was no more time to participate in the large-scale deficit reduction discussions via higher taxes and no spending cuts. Sources say that the president became upset when House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) told the him that Congress should instead consider a series of debt ceiling votes based on spending cuts that already have been identified. Cantor identified to the President that "Talks could then continue to identify additional cuts for subsequent votes. . . . "The president told me, 'Eric, don't call my bluff. I'm going to take this to the American people.'" Obama then followed union tactics and walked out of the meeting with elected representatives of the American people. The White House press secretary later made light of the situation. Wonder what will be next on Obama's agenda?
Obama had warned on Tuesday that failure to raise the debt ceiling "could mean" that Social Security checks, veterans benefits and other government obligations would not be paid as scheduled in August. Obama was prevaricating, because the situation has nothing to do with being able to pay seniors and veterans the money that is owed thme from established funds that already exist. The President's posturing and pushing the edge of truth evidences his years of street tactic negotiations for organizations like Acorn. Distorting the truth when you know otherwise is not appropriate for the President of the United States. He is not some rogue dictatorship that abuses who abuses the people of their country. He is a "citizen" like everyone else who at the moment sits in the oval office and who apparently is more focused on remaining there for another 6 years.
President Obama now wants all the parties in the discussion to go out to Camp David to continue discussion. What he want to do, have a few beers and chip and dip with the gang? The White House and the US Senate and US House are located where they are for a reason. The Speaker's press secretary, Michale Steel, said "on the record," “The Speaker has told the White House he sees no need to go to Camp David this weekend.”
Speaking on the floor this morning, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said, “It’s time to make it clear to the American people where the two parties stand in this debate. Either you’re with the President and his vision of a government that continues to live beyond its means. Or you’re with those of us who believe Washington needs some strong medicine. . . . And the single most effective way to do that is with a balanced budget amendment. If the President and Democrats in Congress won’t agree to cut back, let’s force them to. Let’s pass a constitutional amendment that actually requires Congress to live within its means. It’s time for the American people to contact lawmakers on the Democratic side and demand it. Republicans are unanimous in their support for a balanced budget amendment. We need 20 Democrats to join us.”
Fortunately, at least 20 Democrats have in the past expressed their support for some kind of balanced budget amendment. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) said in 2006, “I stood up to a President of my own party . . . In support of the balanced budget amendment, in restoring fiscal sanity to our government.” Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) said just a few months ago that “Over the years, I have supported a balanced budget amendment…”. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) said earlier this year, “[T]he balanced budget amendment's very, very important to me and to every governor, to every state, to every household, especially in West Virginia. And if they can do it, they think we can do it also.” In March, Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) said, “I voted yes and support a balanced budget amendment that allows for flexibility in times of war and for natural disasters.” And the last time Congress seriously considered a balanced budget amendment, even Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), now the Majority Leader, said, “. . . I believe we should have a constitutional amendment to balance the budget. I am willing to go for that.” And Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), now the Majority Whip, said that “we need to move toward a Balanced Budget Amendment.”
Shortly, Democrats will have the opportunity to make good on their assurances of support for a balanced budget. The Wall Street Journal reportedthis morning, “The House is voting on a balanced-budget measure next week, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) is expected to force a Senate vote as well. ‘Republicans will spend the next two weeks fighting for the one thing that will ensure that Washington gets its house in order and forces future Congresses to live within their means,’ Mr. McConnell said Wednesday.”
A Mason-Dixon poll in late May found “an overwhelming number of Americans would support an amendment to the U.S. Constitution requiring Congress to pass a balanced budget every year.” Sixty-five percent of respondents supported such an amendment in the Mason-Dixon poll. In fact, the survey found that “81 percent of Republicans, 68 percent of independents and 45 percent of Democrats support a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.” And a more recent Fox News poll found 72% in favor.
As Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) said recently, “Our unsustainable debt and ever-rising deficits are not victimless practices—they cause uncertainty that is actively killing jobs and threatening to leave future generations stuck with the bill. A balanced budget amendment would end this harmful practice and finally bring accountability to the budget-making process. With a $14.3 trillion debt, Americans understand that Washington must end its addiction to ‘tax, borrow and spend.’ We can no longer afford it, and we owe it to the next generation of Americans to make this right. We do not need tax hikes to pay for Washington’s spending addiction. We need a President and Democrat Senate who will join Senate Republicans in supporting a strong balanced budget amendment that will handcuff out-of-control politicians.”
Tags: Washington, D.C., US Senate, US House, Barack Obama, Mitch McConnell, national debt To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
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