News
CNN: Money | The price of a shutdown
So if the federal government shuts down, taxpayers would save a lot of money, right? Not quite. It would actually cost taxpayers money. And for every day the shutdown continues, the bill would go up.
Fox News | Gov't shutdown could hit federal workers in wallet
"Last time there was a government shutdown, furloughed federal workers were able to recover their lost pay. They may not be so lucky this time. Congress would have to decide whether an estimated 800,000 government employees could recoup back wages if they are forced to stay out of work. When workers were sidelined during the most recent partial shutdowns of 1995 and 1996, Congress quickly voted to make them whole.
CQ | Shutdowns of the Past
On 17 occasions since September 1976, Congress has allowed appropriations to lapse, requiring the govenrment to begin shutting down non-essential operations.
RollCall | Senate Democrats Likely to Offer Short-Term CR
Senate Democrats are likely to try to pass a short-term spending bill of their own if Majority Leader Harry Reid, Speaker John Boehner and President Barack Obama fail to reach a breakthrough at a White House meeting Thursday night.
Politico | White House hopes last minute heroics keep government running
Republicans have hit President Barack Obama for being out of touch, disengaged and unwilling to lead on the budget negotiations and Democrats aren't wild about his taste for last minute heroics either.
Econ Comments
CNN: Money | The economic bullishness behind the Ryan budget
Paul Ryan's budget dramatically reduces the size of the federal government over the long run, which could be incredibly bullish for economic growth in the United States.
Fox Business | Three Cheers for Budget Cuts
I got excited this week when I hear about Congressman Ryan's "Roadmap to Prosperity." $6 Trillion in cuts! Finally, Congress might address entitlement spending, and eventually get the budget balanced. His plan even got the liberal journalists at the NY Times to acknowledge that the current system is unsustainable.
WSJ | The Republican Entitlement Gamble
Paul Ryan presented a plan for reform. The party's job now is to back him up.
Politico | Keep cutting, but fund defense now
Congress can either pass another short term funding measure sustaining government for a week at a cost savings of $12 billion, or shutdown the federal government in the hope that one side evenutally gives in. The choice could not be more distinct.
WSJ | Who Really Wants a Shutdown?
President Obama does, but the GOP's strategy is a lot less clear.
NRO | Ryan’s Leap
The budget chairman is right, bold, and vulnerable to demagoguery.
NRO | How to Avoid Blame for a Shutdown
A guide for Republicans.
NRO | Got a Better Plan?
If Democrats think the Ryan budget is too radical, let them offer a credible alternative.
NRO | A True Path to Prosperity
Rep. Paul Ryan's plan offers sobriety and hope.
RCM | Define Radical: Pros and Cons of Ryan Plan
You might call it a "put-up-or-shut-up" plan, forcing opponents to show how they would deal with the nation's fiscal problems. Opponents instead have called the plan "radical," "irresponsible," and "extreme." Is it, really?
Blogs
Cato@Liberty | Negotiating a Budget Compromise
House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer says “you can’t negotiate on the basis that one side gives 100 percent and the other side gives zero.” Good point. So let’s see: The budget is $836 billion higher than it was in President Bush’s last full fiscal year.
Heritage Foundation | RSC Budget Balances the Budget through Spending Restraint
The Republican Study Committee (RSC) has released a 10-year budget blueprint that reins in federal spending, balances the budget, and modernizes the federal budget process. While President Obama’s budget would bury the nation in $9.5 trillion of additional debt over the next decade, the RSC would accumulate just $1.8 trillion of debt over the next eight years before balancing the budget in 2020. And they accomplish this without raising taxes.
Cato@Liberty | The Budget Impasse: Who’s to Blame?
Will there be a budget agreement? Who knows. Has Obama shown himself to be a capable leader in this budget battle? Please. One thing is clear, though: It’s beyond rich for Democrats to blame Republicans for this budget impasse.
