Go Home Already: Shouts and Murmurs
Man Stops Traffic at 17th and K to Demand $200 Million
Compromise Uncertain on Same-Sex Marriage Law
Morning Roundup: Second Helpings Edition
Fire at 17th and L NW Forces Evacuations
Dr. No has struck again.
Yesterday the Senate was unable to pass a legislative package of 35 programs worth $10 billion that had been held up by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Ok.). The package -- known as the "Tomnibus" bill -- included $1.5 billion for Metro that Coburn deemed wasteful because his constituents are too poor to come to Washington (no, seriously). But Democrats couldn't convince enough Republicans to join them to push the measure through, gaining the votes of only Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) and Sen. John Warner (R-Va.).
There's plenty to be said about how easy the press has generally been on Coburn, but we're too non-partisan, objective, even-handed and interested in both sides to be the ones to say it. So, Ryan Avent, have at it.
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We should block anything for Oklahoma. You know, with our powerful congressional delegation.
have you been to oklahoma? blocking funding, or whatever else they would get, couldn't make things much worse...
Please let this post engender more comments than the Scrabulous post below.
As for Ryan Avent: you go, dude!
Correct me if I am wrong, but the House version was amended to increase the Federal Employee Metro Check subsidy from 115/month to 220/month.
Tom's work doesn't benefit the citizens of DC in any appreciable way, so let's just suspend his salary.
See, the thing is that most of the bill is pork
Things like $45 million for "increasing awareness of individuals of all ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, and geographic locations, of the issues facing runway and homeless youth, the resources available for these youth, and the tools available for the prevention of runaway and homeless youth situations; and"
and
3.5 Million to "establish the Star-Spangled Banner and War of 1812 Commemoration Commission;"
and
5 Million for the establishment of a "Museum of the History of Polish Jews"
and so on
Pork is pork and if it means some things dont pass in the interest of trying to cure the 500 billion deficit for next year (not including the 2 lovely little wars amongst other stuff), so be it.
Maybe if the Orange Line extension went beyond Dulles to Tulsa, it would give the poor people of Indian Territory something to aspire to. They could then pull themselves up by their bootstraps, manufacture some fake FareCards, and ride to Metro South to go fishing in the Capitol Reflecting Pool. We could build station stops along the way for gun purchases so the Oakies can protect their junk from pretentious coffee vendors.
But see, adplatt, you're mistaken here.
The $500 billion deficit isn't due to this so-called "pork."
But, rather, it's in large part due to $100-150B spent on the war in Iraq. It's due to the $180B stimulus package that was borrowed from China in order to do next to nothing to help our economy. It's from proposals to save banks (corporations) from bad loans (acting stupidly).
Bills like the "Tomnibus" bill aren't the reason we're running deficits.
Metro needs fixing. Withholding funds isn't the best way to go about fixing it.
O_M_G, PLEASE stop running that picture.
kelly5612, I'll help by adding another useless comment to this discussion.
Andrewgolfsaot-
You are incorrect, the war suplimental, just like the Katrina suplimental, and anything else like that is scored "off-budget" and not part of the deficit calculation.
The deficit is straight planned government spending over and above government income.
If metro needs fixing they can either come up with a chunk of the money by raising fares or cutting staff just like any other corporation should. Given that the Feds will get a 5.5% COLA this year and get free Metro anyways take it out of their hide, not my back pocket (or anyone else who's economic status isnt tagged by law to the rate of inflation)
I'm with Bob. Please stop running this picture. I'd rather look at the creepy pic of the clown in the suit waving.
Waitaminit. This guy is a clown in a suit! You maniacs! You blew it up! Damn you, DCist! God damn you all to hell!
adplatt, if you think that the wars don't contribute to the on-budget (as well as off-budget) deficit, you're nuts. Aside from direct costs, there's the additional recruitment required because people are less likely to join up in a time of war; there's the need to replace all the equipment we're burning through over there, since it's depreciating; and there's the need to maintain a much larger military than we would have otherwise. And Metro is not "just another corporation"--using it creates positive externalities (decreased congestion, less pollution, etc), so it's a great candidate for government subsidy.
Go Coburn. Actually force the Democrats to do what they said they would during the elections. If they want to spend more money they must find an offset somewhere else in the federal budget.
"You are incorrect, the war suplimental, just like the Katrina suplimental, and anything else like that is scored "off-budget" and not part of the deficit calculation. "
Ehrm, I think not. Contrary to your assertion, war funding costs are not "suplimental" (sic), they are in fact taken into consideration when compiling the annual federal fiscal budget. To that end, the $480 billion deficit is likely understated because the White House left out $80 billion in war funding and refused to include a full estimate of war costs. It's also likely that the deficit will climb higher still, because it is built upon a prospective 2.2% growth rate in the economy next year, which by all accounts is a highly optimistic (and therefore likely unattainable) prediction.
A slumping economy, exhorbitant war spending and ill-advised tax cuts and "stimulus programs" play the most significant roles in making this, in pure dollar terms, the largest deficit ever incurred. Easy-to-pick-on line items such as Museum of Polish American Jews don't make a noticeable contribution towards it.
"If metro needs fixing they can either come up with a chunk of the money by raising fares or cutting staff just like any other corporation should."
Or they could pursue a government bail-out, right?
"If they want to spend more money they must find an offset somewhere else in the federal budget. "
Ridding the economy of Bush's tax cuts would be a good start. Stopping the practice of implementing poorly planned and ineffective stimulus programs would be another. Putting a stop to frivolous war mongering is yet another. I say have at it.
Maybe Coburns' Senate employees should have their parking and Metro check privileges eliminated.
The Dems have an offset all lined up, but the GOP won't support that, either.
Ha - I wonder if anyone on Coburn's staff uses the Metro to get to work. Anyone who rides the Metro knows it needs more funding.