President goes 'Green'

[werepossum]

I'm not sure what you're talking about, or what it has to do with progressivism. (that part is particularly baffling) And yes, those budget documents are frequently nothing more than hot air as they are so often totally disregarded in the actual appropriations process.

Can you explain to me exactly what you think those budget documents do?

The Congressional budget sets the spending limits for each department; this is supposed to guide Congress in setting the actual appropriations bills in a responsible way. If we had a responsible Congress and President, we would decide how much money we expect to have coming in, then allocate that money among the various departments, then craft appropriations bills for each department to divide that department's money among its various projects. I'm aware that Congress specifically sets no penalties for violations of the various budget acts, but ignoring the whole process is merely a furtherance of Congress' lack of real world linkage. If we can't even decide how much money we want to spend and how we are going to divide it up, we are that much less likely to actually spend a rational and sustainable amount since every appropriations bill has no limiting factors at all.

 

[Moonbeam]

The Congressional budget sets the spending limits for each department; this is supposed to guide Congress in setting the actual appropriations bills in a responsible way. If we had a responsible Congress and President, we would decide how much money we expect to have coming in, then allocate that money among the various departments, then craft appropriations bills for each department to divide that department's money among its various projects. I'm aware that Congress specifically sets no penalties for violations of the various budget acts, but ignoring the whole process is merely a furtherance of Congress' lack of real world linkage. If we can't even decide how much money we want to spend and how we are going to divide it up, we are that much less likely to actually spend a rational and sustainable amount since every appropriations bill has no limiting factors at all.

Maybe if Obama came up with a new and really creative speech on this it would all change. I am sure Congress would be receptive to new and marvelous ideas.

 

[fskimospy]

The Congressional budget sets the spending limits for each department; this is supposed to guide Congress in setting the actual appropriations bills in a responsible way. If we had a responsible Congress and President, we would decide how much money we expect to have coming in, then allocate that money among the various departments, then craft appropriations bills for each department to divide that department's money among its various projects. I'm aware that Congress specifically sets no penalties for violations of the various budget acts, but ignoring the whole process is merely a furtherance of Congress' lack of real world linkage. If we can't even decide how much money we want to spend and how we are going to divide it up, we are that much less likely to actually spend a rational and sustainable amount since every appropriations bill has no limiting factors at all.

We can certainly spend all day talking about how ridiculous the process of funding the government is, and I agree that it's totally fucked up in its current incarnation. My only point was that whatever problems we have, it's not due to a lack of budget resolutions.

 

[werepossum]

Maybe if Obama came up with a new and really creative speech on this it would all change. I am sure Congress would be receptive to new and marvelous ideas.

Setting aside my point that since half of Congress isn't doing it's job producing a budget it's fine for Obama to recycle budget speeches, certainly Congress would be receptive to new and marvelous ideas. It's just that at least half of Congress isn't going to be receptive to new and marvelously progressive ideas. The two are by no means the same thing, but come out with a truly new and marvelous idea and Congress will embrace it (and probably claim credit for it.)

We can certainly spend all day talking about how ridiculous the process of funding the government is, and I agree that it's totally fucked up in its current incarnation. My only point was that whatever problems we have, it's not due to a lack of budget resolutions.

True, but that's certainly a symptom if not a cause.

 

[First]

No, I do not owe you a reason.

lol.

 

[cybrsage]

Speaking of budgets, how is Obama's "I am going to cut the deficit in half" promise working out?

 

[boomerang]

Speaking of budgets, how is Obama's "I am going to cut the deficit in half" promise working out?

LOL! It's important to remember that he wasn't lying, it was just campaign rhetoric.

Oh, oh, oh, wait, he's gonna do it in his second term. Yeah, that's the ticket.

 

[Ausm]

President Goes ‘Green’ — Recycles Yesterday’s Budget Speech From his 2011 Budget Speech

This gave me a laugh. Why would you do this - recycle your speeches?

Are they so poignant and on point as to deserve to be heard again? Are they still fully relevant because nothing has changed? Are they so perfect in their writing that altering them would be blasphemous? Is it gross incompetence? Have they run out of words?

These aren't stump speeches on the campaign trail, these are major adresses to the nation.



Click link to view videos.

Can you post the look on your face on the night of Nov 8th...PLEASE. 😀

 

[Ausm]

On a factual note, the joke is that the Ryan budget plan doesn't balance the budget at all, unless you believe that removing the magic loopholes will hit their target of 2040.

It has been calculated that the Ryan budget adds around 3.127 TRILLION to the deficit....

Ryan’s blueprint, “The Path to Prosperity,” would add $3.127 trillion to the deficit during the decade spanning 2013 to 2022, according to a table on page 88 of the plan.

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/217131-ryan-budget-plan-appears-more-costly-than-status-quo-