And there was wailing and gnashing of dry teeth....
The Madison Daily Leader reports that the failure of the omnibus spending bill in Congress means more uncertainty for the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System. Remember, the GOP didn't want to let the lame-duck Congress pass a real budget with Dem priorities in it. Instead, the Republicans forced Democrats to pass a continuing resolution. Lewis & Clark director Troy Larson tells MDL's Chuck Clement that "after March 4, the word is that Congress will pass a year-long continuing resolution that will last until (FY2012).... With the year-long continuing resolution, they're looking at reducing funding levels for all agencies."
The continuing resolution means that, instead of our elected Congressional delegation getting to direct money toward specific projects (yes, through earmarks), Congress hands its purse-string authority to federal agency officials who mostly don't live in South Dakota. Senator Tim Johnson points out this abdication of authority leaves lots of South Dakota programs in limbo:
U.S. Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., said the failure in passing the Omnibus spending bill left federal bureaucrats in control of South Dakota projects and had eliminated Congress' say in funding.
"I'm disappointed that funding for Lewis and Clark, Mni Wiconi, Ellsworth Air Force Base and the ground-breaking research being done at South Dakota universities is now in question after this bill was blocked from moving forward," Johnson said. "When used responsibly, earmarks are not a symbol for overspending or government waste, but an investment in our local communities" [Chuck Clement, "Lewis & Clark to Wait until March for Federal Funding," Madison Daily Leader, 2010.12.27].
Chew on that one: Republicans stifle budget action and give federal bureaucrats more control over our money. Republicans.
Glaring misspelling...
I like how monetized debt and redistribution magically becomes "investing" when it is done for pet projects or to buy votes. I don't see how local control with federal strings attached is preferable to limbo with a possibility of less spending
It's all deficit spending. The problem here is that the omnibus bill would have directed that spending to specific projects desired by specific congresspeople and their constituents. The continuing resolution sends those dollars where agency chiefs in Washington send it. None of the points you cite, Roger, are relevant to the point Senator Johnson and I are making.
Are the decisions of agency chiefs in Washington worse than the decisions of pork farming congressmen in Washington? Neither have any interest in spending less. At least agency chiefs aren't doing it for votes or campaign donations.
Oh, the sophistry! Yes, such decisions have an inherent advantage, in that our Congressional delegation answers directly to us and is from South Dakota.