Spend, spend, spend

Spend, spend, spend - Bill Wilson -

www.dailyjot.com

 

Congress averted another shutdown of the government by passing a $1.3 TRILLION resolution that funds the government until the mid-term elections, according to Associated Press. This whole idea of having to fund the government to avoid a shutdown to avoid backlash from taxpayers who don't want the government shut down is fiscally irresponsible and a Biblical example of a lack of good stewardship. If the government wasn't the largest employer in America, maybe there would be more sanity to the process, more accountability. The government is too big, too overreaching and too irresponsible, but Congress is at fault-it doesn't operate as the Constitution prescribes by establishing a yearly budget.

 

It's the Continuing Resolution trap. These smart people we voted into office have figured out a way to operate lawfully while at the same time get all the tax-funded projects they want by passing Continuing Resolutions. Continuing Resolutions are based off of an original budget bill and modify that bill often based on a formula. They are passed when the President and Congress cannot agree to a fiscal budget. According to the Congressional Research Service between fiscal year 1977 and fiscal year 2015, Congress only passed all twelve regular appropriations bills on time in four years - fiscal years 1977, 1989, 1995, and 1997. So you can see Congress has operated without a budget a lot.

 

Article 1, Section 9, Clause 7 of the Constitution "No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time." The Constitution also requires the House of Representatives to originate the budget. Usually, the President sends his budget to the House, which then crafts an appropriations bill for consideration and voting. The Statement of Accounts clause has been interpreted that there must be an annual budget. In recent years, neither the President nor the House has originated a budget so we have had these candy stores of pet projects loading up Continuing Resolutions that perpetuate the reelection of Congressmen with favors using your hard-earned tax dollars.

 

The stick in this bait and switch game is that if Congress doesn't pass a Continuing Resolution, the government shuts down and we can't have that because the largest voting block in America would be upset. So it is better to be fiscally irresponsible with everybody's money, secure reelection with endless projects and favors, and kick the can down the road. This has resulted in a Federal debt of $21 TRILLION. Your share as a taxpayer is $173,549. Yet we keep reelecting these bums who keep spending your money on their projects. There were 90 House and 24 Senate Republicans who voted against this last bill. All others should be booted. It's bad business. Psalm 37:21 says, "The wicked borrow and pay not again: but the righteous show mercy and give." And that is where this is all headed unless We The People do something about it.