Disappointed, Discouraged and Disgusted

I don't know whether I am more disappointed, discouraged or disgusted when I consider the actions of the Democrats in the United States Senate.

On April 29 it will have been three years since the Democrat-let Senate last passed a budget blueprint.  This is despite the fact that this is in direct violation of the 1974 Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act that states,

"On of before April 15 of each year, the Congress shall complete action on a concurrent resolution on the budget for the fiscal year."

It is indeed interesting that the Senate passes laws that the rest of are required to obey, but they blatantly ignore their own legal obligations.

What do the Senate Democrat leaders have to say about the situation?

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid(D-NV) said "We do not need to bring a budget to the floor this year.  It's done.  We don't need to do it."

Senate Budget Chairman Kent Conrad(D-ND) stated "This is the wrong time to vote on the floor.  I don't think we will be prepared to vote before the election."

I guess you can at least give Senator Conrad a couple points for honesty.  However, what a woeful excuse.  By the way, Conrad has announced that he is not seeking re-election this year so he is not protecting himself.  However, there are 23 Senate Democratic seats up for re-election this year (compared to only 10 Republican seats).  None of them want to be tied in any way to President Obama's budget plans that will soon take us over $16 trillion in total federal debt.

In order to look like he was doing something, Conrad called a Senate Budget Committee meeting last week to markup a budget that would never be voted on.  To show you how ridiculous the entire process is, this is a photograph of that meeting.  Conrad is at the head of the table with Republican ranking budget member Jeff Sessions(R-AL).  The Republican Budget Committee members are on the far side of the table hoping to get something done.  All of the empty chairs on the near side of the table are the Democrat seats.  No one showed up to do any serious work.

A picture does tell a thousand words.

As do these charts comparing President Obama's budget for 2013 with the Ryan/Republican budget.  The first shows the differences between now and 2022 with respect to federal deficits as a % of GDP.  All are compliments of Keith Hennessey.com.

The second chart shows debt as a % of GDP over the same time period.

As I have written before, despite with you hear from Democrats and in the mainstream media, the Ryan budget is not radical by any means.  It actually increases federal spending $1.3 trillion over the next ten years.  Social Security spending will increase 74%.  Medicare spending will increase 53%.  Medicaid and other health spending is slated for a 40% increase over the next decade.

What is really important is looking at the longer-term impacts of both proposals.  Quite simply, President Obama's budget is not economically sustainable over the long-term.  It relies on short-term tax increases and does nothing to address the underlying entitlement problem.  It is just a matter of time before the entire economic system will break somewhere on that path.   And when it does, there will be untold misery for millions and millions of people.

The decisions we make today will have massive compounded effects in the future.  Small changes now will save billions in future interest expenses and tax costs that will not only take money from our children but also impair future economic growth.  Entitlement reform now will save trillions in future costs while protecting the inter-generational promise made to current retirees.

The Democrats claim they want to protect those least-advantaged in our country.  Unfortunately, the budgetary and economic policies of the Obama administration are putting these people at greater risk with each succeeding day.  It will not be a pretty picture if we allow it to occur.  This picture shows that there is a different path we can still take before it is too late.

Unfortunately, the Democrats in the Senate are too worried about the next election.  After writing this, I now know how I feel.  I am disappointed, discouraged and disgusted.