The Budget Bill Blowout

Legislative Function Implodes

A Republican former legislative aid evaluated the current Congress and gave it a flunking grade in today’s NYT (070525). Congress has become a cheering section for the President. The legislative process used to be a methodical and evaluative. The budget bill that just cleared both houses slid to a vote on greased wheels through the “reconciliation” loophole, circumventing the winnowing committee process.

The implications are vast; ballooning unsustainable National debt, severely disabled health care, hollowing out of our already troubled rural health services; all to give the Grand Poobah a Fourth of July signing event and extend tax benefits for the super-rich.

The writer concludes that what was once regarded as a world-leading legislative process is now “comedy” or “deeply depressing”. If at 250 years since the Founding, the wheels haven’t yet come off, the tires are bald and ready to blow out.