Yesterdaymarked an ignominious milestone for Democrats. It has now been 750 days sinceDemocrats have presented a budget. It is fitting then that on this milestone ofsorts that Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND) said that they’regoing to hold off on a introducing a budget plan.
One has towonder why Congressional Democrats are displaying such reticence at a time ofsuch need. Our debt and deficit are obviously calling out for a plan.Republicans have obliged, offering ambitious plans to balance the budget andrestitch the growing holes in our social safety net. But Democrats have onceagain punted. It’s almost as if they know something that we don’t, like say…thecoming rapture?
Sure you maylaugh, but the end of the world is one of the few good excuses that wouldexplain Democrats seeming unwillingness to face up to our budgetary problems.After all, the long-term trajectories of Medicare, Medicaid, and SocialSecurity look a whole lot better when their finances only have to hold outuntil this Saturday! So rather than piddle with the stress of putting togethera governing document, Democrats have unleashed their inner bacchanal and spentmoney as if there is no tomorrow, because well, there really may not be.
Of course,for you end-of-the-world skeptics out there, there is another reason for CongressionalDemocrats unwillingness to produce a budget – they know it will be unpopular.
Thus far,liberals have enjoyed a strategic advantage in the public debate over thebudget. They can consistently criticize and denigrate the Republicans’ planswhile preventing themselves from falling under attack. After all, it’s tough tocriticize something when that something doesn’t exist. It’s a calculated strategy– allowing them to play offense without ever having to ever put their suspectdefense on the field – but it is ultimately one harmful to taxpayers.
It’s easy tosee why many Democrats don’t want to move a budget blueprint to the floor. Itnot only prevents Republicans from being able to play a little offense of theirown, but it also shield vulnerable party members from taking tough votes. Andthey would be tough. According to theWashingtonPost, Senate Democrats plan “would reduce borrowing by more than $4trillion over the next decade, with about half the savings coming from highertaxes.”
It shouldcome as no surprise that Democrats don’t want to be on record as having votedfor $2 trillion in higher taxes.
But forgetwhat they want. By and large, Americans are not concerned with the political fortunesof Democrats; they are concerned with putting our reckless spending on a pathto sustainability. Achieving that will require an honest debate about eachparty’s future vision for the role and functions of government. But it’s toughto have a debate when only one party is sitting at the table.
So if we domake it through the weekend, if the rapture isn’t in fact scheduled fortomorrow, we hope Democrats will step out from behind their excuses and presenttheir budgetary plan for the nation’s future. After 750 days of stalling, theAmerican taxpayer deserves to know just what that plan looks like.