Does Congress usually pass its spending legislation in time?
Critical Analysis
Find answers to the following questions using the visual above, your big brain, the information provided and any links below:
The new federal fiscal year began on Oct. 1, and Congress hasn’t passed any of the dozen appropriations (spending) bills it’s supposed to enact every year. Since 1977, how many times has congress passed its spending legislation in time?
Only a last minute stopgap spending law passed on October 1 stopped a government shutdown, but if the Congress can’t pass new spending by November 17 there will be yet another forced shutdown of large chunks of the federal government – which, if it happens, would be the fourth in the past decade. When was the last year that congress passed its spending legislation in time?
In the 1974 Congressional Budget Act, Congress laid out an orderly appropriations (spending) process. But it doesn’t often follow it's own rules. Since 1977 how many times has congress passed zero percent of its spending legislation in time?
Describe the overall trend in the timeliness of spending legislation.
Why do you think Congress is so often late to pass a budget in time?
According to the latest Gallup poll, 17% of Americans approve of the current Congress. How do you think public opinion of Congress is impacted by its inability to operate in a timeline manner?
Congress is, by design, divided into 2 chambers and is by fact, divided by parties who do not agree on much. Imagine running a business or family budget with two warring factions. Imagine that the CFO and the CEO were openly fighting against each other. Imagine a husband and wife going through a separation and were using their budget to fight one another. How does the two party system impact the timeliness of the budgetary process?
If we were a one party country we could pass budgets more quickly and efficiently. Explain whether you would support outlawing one of the two major American political parties.
How does the timeline of the congressional budget process as shown below* reflect the concept of checks and balances.
Did you know that James Madison was a big advocate of divided government? I did. Did you know that he wrote Federalist No. 51 to advocate for separation of powers in order to stop tyranny, and to impress Dolly? I did. Based on your reading of Federalist No. 51, your knowledge of the goals of the Federalists in the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, and your uncanny ability to kn ow what’s what, respond to the following claim: James Madison and the Federalists would have been happy that the Congress very rarely passes spending bills in time.
Visual Extension*
Learning Extension
Action Extension
Patrick McHenry (R-NC-10) lives about one hour from my house and is the acting temporary Speaker of the House. Tweet @McHenryCampaign and let him know what you think about Congress.