Comments on: Federal Budget Transparency

By: RJN

RJN — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 01:53:19 +0000

Radley Balko is right, of course.

Term limits. We need term limits. We have to break Congress. Maybe someday.

By: McGehee

McGehee — Tue, 22 Aug 2006 17:38:17 +0000

a “mystery Senator” who has put an anonymous hold on the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act...

Am I the only one who immediately thought of Ted Stevens?

With Sheets Byrd a close second...?

By: Old War Dogs

Old War Dogs — Tue, 22 Aug 2006 17:36:42 +0000

Porkbusting on Vent....

Watch it. James Joyner has a great related post here....

By: yetanotherjohn

yetanotherjohn — Tue, 22 Aug 2006 15:35:03 +0000

I think the base closing and consolidation appeared to be just as insoluble a problem for the same reason. Everyone wanted to see a reduction in the federal budget defense spending from the cold war numbers, but didn't want the base in their area closed. Perhaps the same sort of reform would be needed, with an independent commission "consolidating" the budget to a two option choice. One with all the pork and one that was balanced by the commission. Making one high profile vote would make it harder to do the two step "I am against big government deficit spending, now let me tell you about all the goodies I have brought home". On the other hand, I agree that a return to a pre-FDR interpretation of the powers of congress would also solve the problem to a great degree.