A 2007 “Continuing Resolution” Could Help Control Spending
The less the 109th Congress meddles with spending bills, the better. Less Congressional involvement means fewer corrupt earmarks and less overall growth in spending. That’s why many conservatives are supporting what’s known as a “continuing resolution†to fund the areas where 2007 appropriations bills haven’t been passed yet, which is basically every government function except for Defense and Homeland Security. Yesterday, according to the National Journal’s CongressDaily PM, Majority Leader John Boehner suggested a year-long Continuing Resolution:
Boehner, backed by House GOP conservatives, went so far as to suggest simply passing a yearlong CR rather than an omnibus or staying in town past Nov. 17. But that would result in roughly $10 billion less over the course of the fiscal year than the $873 billion budget cap appropriators are working under — not to mention the loss of funding for local earmarks — and Lewis and Cochran reacted “negatively” to that idea, an aide said.
A Continuing Resolution simply grows budgets at an overall rate based off of 2006 spending levels. Frankly, that’s an improvement over the special-interest slop trough that constitutes the appropriations process. It is embarrassing that GOP Appropriators are reacting “negatively†to the idea of predictable (and slightly slower) growth in spending. The collapse of spending discipline led by Rep. Lewis and Senator Cochran is one of the leading reasons the Republican majority has lost its way.
