Dollars and Sense?

Just before the Congress left for a weeklong recess, the Senate approved a $2.8 trillion federal budget. This vote came only hours after the federal debt limit was raised to prevent the federal government from defaulting.

The March 17th New York Times ("Senate Approves Budget, Breaking Spending Limits") reports that the votes the previous day had passed by very slim margins. The debt limit increase of $781 billion to a total of $9 trillion passed 52-48 and made the federal budget possible to be put in place. However, later in the day, the budget would have required Vice President Dick Cheney to break a tie had Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) not become the sole Democrat to vote in approval of the budget.

Five Republicans defected from the party line and voted against the budget. However, Landrieu won an agreement for a new $10 billion effort for levee rebuilding and coastal protection. Those efforts would be paid out of oil royalties and other sources. Landrieu's vote made the final tally 51-49 and prevented Cheney from having to use his tiebreaker power to pass the budget.

Additional spending was also passed for items such as social, military, job safety, and home-heating programs. This additional spending exceeds a ceiling established by President Bush. The spending has also frustrated Republicans that want to exercise more fiscal restraint.

"It is very disturbing and it gives me a whole lot of heartburn," said Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC). "They want to go and say they are helping people, but we are not helping people when we are selling out their future."

Democrats have gone on the offensive against the Republicans over the spending and increases in debt. They have said that the debt was the result of a reckless Republican fiscal policy centered on tax cuts for the wealthy.

Some Republicans are very worried that the Democratic attacks and Republican failures to restrain spending will cost them dearly in this year's midterm elections.

"This budget could be the final nail in our coffin, if we don't watch it," said Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC). "I don't think we properly understand the keys to our electoral success."

If the Democrats can come up with a coherent campaign that can remind the voters of this debt and deficit for November, then Graham's prediction could come true.

In fact, the public should be made more aware of this record. The Republican Congress has had several election cycles to prove how serious they were about about fiscal restrain and responsible spending. Instead, we have new heights in earmarking. It will be difficult to trust the same people that presided over the growth of these earmarks and pork barrel projects to now have a change of heart and restrain themselves.

But to that end, the Democrats have to be able to convince the voters that they are up to the task. Given their recent campaign history, all that's left to do now is to wait and see if they can improve on their own record.