Endless fiscal crises: The Obama new normal
Then, after the debt limit and sequester is settled, Congress and the White House will have to pass legislation authorizing government funding for the next year. The Democratically controlled Senate has not passed a budget since Obamacare became law and as a result the federal government has been operating on a series of continuing resolutions ever since. The last one, passed in September 2012, expires March 27th. If no agreement is made on federal spending before that date, the federal government will be forced to shut down.
How each of these next fiscal crisis moments is resolved will go a long way in determining who got the better bargain in the fiscal cliff deal passed last night. If Obama is again able to raise taxes in any of the next three fiscal events, then this fiscal cliff deal looks great for the White House. They will have secured a $600 billion down payment on actually paying for the Obama welfare state and can slowly build to the $1.6 trillion he initially asked for.
But if Republicans hold firm, and do not agree to any new tax hikes, then this deal looks like a disaster for the White House. They will have blown a once in a generation opportunity to raise taxes by trillions of dollars on the American people and will be forced to pair back Obama’s previous historic spending gains.
Blowback
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By design. Keep people in constant crisis mode and they’ll pass anything just to avert said crisis.
CurtZHP on January 2, 2013 at 4:02 PM
To stay in power, to stay in control, dictators from the beginning of time have created “emergencies” to take the focus off of them…this is nothing new.
right2bright on January 2, 2013 at 4:04 PM
The electorate is too stupid.
94% of incumbents were reselected to an institution with a 9% approval rating.
tom daschle concerned on January 2, 2013 at 4:06 PM
or reelected. hah.
tom daschle concerned on January 2, 2013 at 4:07 PM
It’s not endless.
The day the ChiComs decide not to buy 0bama’s debt anymore, is the day we have The Last Fiscal Crisis.
That day will come sooner rather than later.
Rebar on January 2, 2013 at 4:07 PM
Obama is not responsible for “endless fiscal crises”. This is all the fruition of a government and central bank that counterfeits money, manipulates currency, and debauches the currency. We would not have endless wars and a progressive income tax if it weren’t for the Federal Reserve making it all possible. It is no coincidence that both came into existence immediately after the Fed did.
Dante on January 2, 2013 at 4:13 PM
Well never let a ‘crises’ go to waste? We have had a constant distraction since bho was last elected to take the public’s mind off what is really going on with bho/team!
L
letget on January 2, 2013 at 4:14 PM
Create a crisis and then don’t let it go to waste.
The Rogue Tomato on January 2, 2013 at 4:18 PM
Such a shame, too.
The Rogue Tomato on January 2, 2013 at 4:19 PM
Rahm Emanuel is pleased.
rbj on January 2, 2013 at 4:21 PM
I think the endgame is to to scare Congress into legislating away the power of the purse and give Obama unilateral authority to raise the debt ceiling and spend money.
On that day, we will truly be a dictatorship.
Doomberg on January 2, 2013 at 4:30 PM
You say that like it’s a bad thing.
UltimateBob on January 2, 2013 at 4:32 PM
The federal government has never shut down. It doesn’t happen. It’s just another crisis mode tactic. Sure, they shut down “non-essential” services. Which always begs the question of why we have non-essential services to begin with.
But does the President get booted out of the White House and stop receiving a salary? Does Congress stop meeting? Does the Supreme Court have to stop deciding cases? Do all military personnel all around the world immediately have to return home? How about the Secret Service — do they stop protecting the president and other dignitaries? Is Air Force One totally and completely grounded?
If the answer to any of those questions is “no,” the federal government has not shut down.
Shump on January 2, 2013 at 4:39 PM
There was a famous book written about this…the most known line from that very famous book….
The sky is falling…the sky is falling!
President Henny Penny…
right2bright on January 2, 2013 at 4:47 PM
….annnndddd??
right2bright on January 2, 2013 at 4:48 PM
Democrats in the Senate will not be passing a budget this year either, making it a clean 4 in a row.
Weird how Leftists are OK with this. Imagine if it were a GOP controlled Senate that operated like this, 4 years in a row (and counting). I would be outraged either way. Leftists? Not so much. Politics is all just a game to them.
visions on January 2, 2013 at 4:51 PM