On the very day this week when the Congressional Budget Office warned that the succession of previously unimaginable trillion-dollar-plus budget deficits could inflict ruin on the United States, the Senate faced a moment of truth.

For the first time, a truly bipartisan proposal aimed at averting such a calamity came to a vote. By 53 to 46, the senators approved the measure officially described as a bill for "responsible fiscal action, to assure the long-term fiscal stability and economic security of the federal government of the United States, and to expand future prosperity and growth for all Americans."

Of course, this being the 21st-century Senate, it meant defeat because of a failure to command the 60-vote supermajority the opposition now always requires.

Read it all.

Filed under: * Economics, Politics • Economy • The U.S. Government • Budget • Politics in General • Senate

1. Br. Michael wrote: The Congress as the core function of appropriating money.  They have no Constitutional authority to delegate this to a commission and no commission has the authority to bind the Congress. January 30, 5:11 pm | [comment link]

2. Joshua 24:15 wrote: Nor do we need a congressional commission to put a fig leaf on massive tax hikes necessitated by “previously unimaginable trillion-dollar-plus budget deficits.”  We need a Congress that will quit acting like a legion of shopaholics. January 30, 6:05 pm | [comment link]

3. Cennydd wrote: Hmm, I guess I’ll have to have a little phone chat with my senator’s office staff…....as if that would do any good! January 30, 7:36 pm | [comment link]

4. Katherine wrote: We have a body which has the authority to see to the fiscal health of the national government.  It’s the U.S. Congress.  Why a Commission?  To evade responsibility? January 30, 9:34 pm | [comment link]

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