Let’s talk for a moment about deficits, relief, and what Congress should be doing right now.
Some things to note:
- The Federal budget year ends on September 30. If Congress doesn’t pass a budget (not gonna happen) or at least pass a “continuing resolution” (keep spending at current levels), we get a government shutdown.
- Congress is scheduled to be on recess for the entire month of October, back home campaigning or whatever. They can’t pass legislation while they are on recess.
- The House passed a pandemic relief package months ago, but McConnell refuses to even give it a vote. So, no relief package has been passed.
- Without a robust relief package, many families will have to declare bankruptcy, homelessness will rise, health insurance will disappear for many during a pandemic, more businesses will close, and state and local government budgets will be shredded, leading to cuts in schools, colleges, law enforcement, health services, and much more.
- Congress has 14 days to deal with both the federal budget AND pass a relief package. If they don’t deal with the federal budget, we get a shutdown. And if they don’t pass a robust relief package, the soonest a relief package could come would most likely be January.
What should the Senate do? Pass the House’s relief bill from earlier this year, which is robust and takes care of many of the issues noted above (and more). But, McConnell and others claim it is “too much money.” (Note they didn’t say that when they gave billions to corporations in tax cuts a few years ago.)
Here’s the point I want to make: While state and local governments are required by law to be balanced, the federal government has no such requirement. It can create the money it needs to do things, especially in a crisis. (Like it has done multiple times in the past.)
And if anyone starts comparing the federal budget to your checkbook, or your family budget, it simply shows they don’t understand it.
Congress can pass a continuing resolution, AND they can pass a relief package that actually provides relief, unlike McConnell’s starvation-skinny bill that failed recently. And they can do both before they leave.
If they don’t, it is because McConnell and the Republicans in the Senate refused to. And that lack of caring for their constituents should hound them from now on, including when they are at home.
Let’s hope they do the right thing.
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