In push to cut spending, U.S. House spares itself
Source: Reuters
In push to cut spending, U.S. House spares itself
By David Lawder
WASHINGTON | Fri Jun 8, 2012 5:27pm EDT
(Reuters) - After seeking to impose substantial spending cuts on a wide range of non-defense programs this year, the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives on Friday voted to keep its own administrative budget unchanged.
House lawmakers then left Washington for a week-long recess.
The $1.23 billion budget for fiscal 2013 House operations - including staff salaries, member expenses and committee budgets - was approved on a 307-102 vote as part of a $3.33 billion spending bill for the legislative branch of the federal government.
The House portion of the budget was kept unchanged after being cut the two previous fiscal years, marking a 10.5 percent reduction since 2010.
The House has voted to make deep cuts to a number of social programs, such as food stamps and the Medicaid health care program for the poor, in order to protect defense spending from automatic spending cuts. The House has approved, on average, cuts of around 5 percent to federal agency budgets and other discretionary spending from last year.
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/08/us-usa-congress-budget-idUSBRE8571D020120608
bluedigger
(17,091 posts)Quality legislatin' don't come cheap.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)BeyondGeography
(39,399 posts)Volaris
(10,281 posts)is GOING to cost a decent sum of money for things like necessary travel, staff budgets, etc., and it's not a cost that generally I would bitch about...but I want that government doing USEFUL THINGS with the resources we give it to operate. Paying a complete Congressional staff to find new and creative ways to OBSTRUCT meaningful legislative endeavors is a waste of resources, because Congressman (especially THIS batch) have proven quite adept at that obstruction on their own, it seems.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)lunatica
(53,410 posts)Not one damn cent would go towards military spending and I sure as hell wouldn't agree to the raises they give themselves. I get the other spending, but they should know up front that the job isn't about how rich they can get, but how well they can run the government for by and of the people.
Volaris
(10,281 posts)you just need a law that ties that Congressional salary increase to a rise in the Federal minimum wage, at the same %age. It will happen by THEIR idea ONCE, and then business interests will cut off the cash flow, and it will NEVER happen of their own volition again lol.
lib2DaBone
(8,124 posts)Tie Congressional pay raises to raises in the minimum wage.. if the worker bees prosper.. we all prosper.
Volaris
(10,281 posts)When the REST OF US get what's ours, we will be sure to include you, "the elites" in that equation. That's just how us little people like to roll heehee.
Drunken Irishman
(34,857 posts)Is there any bigger welfare system than that of the U.S. Congress?
Autumn
(45,120 posts)Here I thought old ronnie was full of shit and just pulled that phrase out of his ass.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)They are all no good assholes
Heather4
(20 posts)knitter4democracy
(14,350 posts)It sure sounds like we're on the downward slide here.
may3rd
(593 posts)and yet, they still spend 2/3 'rd of their time in office looking for a deep pocket lobbyist to donate to their re election campaign.
go figger
That's why those C-SPan shots of daily floor business are so cropped.
Nobody is in their seat.
aaahhhhh, yes
lsewpershad
(2,620 posts)Why do we need these creeps?
4th law of robotics
(6,801 posts)but the minimum wage does not.
I guess the cost of living only increases yearly for people earning above a certain amount.
boppers
(16,588 posts)tammywammy
(26,582 posts)boppers
(16,588 posts)Thanks for the link.
4th law of robotics
(6,801 posts)they can vote to abstain but it is automatic if they don't specifically vote against it.
I would think that a minimum wage should have the same basic mechanism built in: automatic adjustments unless congress specifically votes it down by a majority.
KansDem
(28,498 posts)You don't expect everybody to sacrifice, do you?
xxqqqzme
(14,887 posts)after doing nothing. Guess obstructing and meeting/lunch/dinner/partying on the corporate dime is hard work.
My congress idiot, though representing a district in SoCal, will just go home to Virginia.
L0oniX
(31,493 posts)raindaddy
(1,370 posts)Eliminate the middle man! They've become a symbol, an unnecessary frill. And they're a drain on the economy. Most of em let the lobbyists write their legislation anyway, very few represent us anymore. None of the Republicans do. Might as well give the taxpayer a break and just let Wall Street and the Corporations pay for their reps.