Budget Voting Thread

[True Democrat]

Perhaps we could cut something from the Treasury Sub-Dept.  Could a Senator (probably Sam Spade) post a rundown of what is basically included in the Treasury sub-dept. budget?

[Sam Spade]

Perhaps we could cut something from the Treasury Sub-Dept.  Could a Senator (probably Sam Spade) post a rundown of what is basically included in the Treasury sub-dept. budget?

Ok, but if the President would look through the Treasury budget himself, he would discover that other than some rather minor expenses here and there (1 billion to run the Mint, 8 billion for Financial Management Services and a couple of other minor things), there are basically two major expenses that the Treasury Dept. does that make up all of its budget.

1.  Running of the IRS (roughly about 59 billion)

2.  Paying off the interest on the National Debt (roughly about 350 billion)

Now, if you want to get rid of the IRS, I have no problem with that, but we'd better have an alternative tax system in place before.
Simply put, there is pretty much no way to really get into the budget deficit without cutting either:

1. Social programs (things to do with Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, in that order)

2. Defense expenditures  (I think there are some things you can cut out of here, but probably not more than 50 billion max.)

Or you can:

3. Raise taxes.

Or you can:

4. Keep spending increases down and hope for another 1990s to boom the federal coffers.

[Blerpiez]

Aye

[12th Doctor]

Hmmmm... I thought we had already voted on this for some reason.


Aye

[Nym90]

Aye

[Gabu]

The budget now has enough votes to pass.

Senators now have 24 hours to change their votes.

[MAS117]

Aye

[Gabu]

I just realized that I haven't even voted yet, so...

Aye.

Not that it would have mattered; with nine votes in favor to none against, the budget has passed.

[Sam Spade]

I just realized that I haven't even voted yet, so...

Aye.

Not that it would have mattered; with nine votes in favor to none against, the budget has passed.

This Budget has brought up another interesting conundrum in the Budget Amendment to be voted on soon and that is that in the Budget Amendment, the President (whoever that is) must approve each version of the Budget, whereas here it seems like that we're just approving it, and that the President (whoever it is at that time) will only approve the final version.

What are your thoughts on this, Gabu?

[True Democrat]

I think the President should only approve the final budget, unless an the Senate chooses to have him approve every part.  The debate should be left up to the Senate.

[Sam Spade]

I think the President should only approve the final budget, unless an the Senate chooses to have him approve every part.  The debate should be left up to the Senate.

I am actually going to work something up in the Budget Amendment for the Senate to vote on answering that question.

[Peter]

Did anything happen to this?

[Sam Spade]

Did anything happen to this?

I just realized that I haven't even voted yet, so...

Aye.

Not that it would have mattered; with nine votes in favor to none against, the budget has passed.

The preliminary budget (or the first revision for that matter) doesn't have to be approved by the President.  Only the final version must.  Or so it says in the rewritten Budget Amendment that passed.

I thought you noticed that considerable gain in Senatorial power earlier. 

[Peter]

Okay I think I've worked out what's going on by reading the Budget Amendment again.

Should this "Preliminary Version" be archived on the Wiki?

[Sam Spade]

Okay I think I've worked out what's going on by reading the Budget Amendment again.

Should this "Preliminary Version" be archived on the Wiki?

Sure, if you want to, I have no problem with that.

[Sam Spade]

bumping for Budget matters

[Sam Spade]

bumping