Congressional Negotiators Announce Budget Ahead of Schedule
Not only did Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., manage to reach a budget deal, but they did it ahead of schedule.
Not only did Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., manage to reach a budget deal, but they did it ahead of schedule.
The House is expected to vote on the compromise Friday, with the Senate following up next week. President Obama gave the deal his seal of approval.
The compromise will cut from government worker and military pensions in order to offset some cuts forced by sequestration. Additional spending cuts will be spread out over 10 years.
It’s not exactly thrilling news, from a progressive point of view, but at least we’re spared the endless quarterly standoffs, with their potential for government shutdown and default.
Here’s an odd fact: The two people negotiating the nation’s budget between them represent about 2 percent of the nation’s population, mostly Washingtonians (the population of Paul Ryan’s district is just over 670,000).
Back to the compromise: Ryan, quoted by Reuters, put it this way, “In divided government, you don’t always get what you want.”
Cue the Stones.
— Posted by Peter Z. Scheer
Your support matters…Independent journalism is under threat and overshadowed by heavily funded mainstream media.
You can help level the playing field. Become a member.
Your tax-deductible contribution keeps us digging beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that unearths what's really happening- without compromise.
Give today to support our courageous, independent journalists.
Environment
More than half of discretionary spending goes to the military. Only a tiny fraction addresses the most urgent threat to our security.
Editorial Cartoons
Military
A new budget loophole will send Pentagon spending soaring even higher.
Politics
House GOP says Pentagon budget is safe—but social security and Medicare aren't.
The budget proposal offers a terrifying preview of what we can expect from Trump if he wins another four years in office.
Deficits averaging 4.8% of GDP are foreseen over the course of the coming decade; experts say anything above 3% is unsustainable.
You need to be a supporter to comment.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.