Government Shutdown

 ***UPDATE***  Government Shutdown averted, however, as I point out, this article still applies.

 I didn't want to comment on all that is going on in the budget debate, until I saw the results since I consider a lot of the back-and-forth to be very childish. With the deadline for a budget due today, my post could very quickly become outdated, however, there are a few things that won't change as a result of either a government shutdown or a last minute budget agreement: The debate has been focused on all the wrong things. 

Everyone in government is raising the fiscal responsibility flag, while accusing the other of not "being serious about cutting funding." We've seen in by the White House, House Republicans and Senate Democrats. Despite the need for a more fiscally responsible government, the argument is just an illusion. The reason we are in this last mind bind today is because our elected representatives didn't reach an agreement a year ago; now they are rushing to meet the deadline. 

With such small time, we can't expect to meet the deadline and also do much needed major reform to Medicare and Social Security (two of the largest social programs); it just isn't plausible. What we are left with is a budget battle over the small programs that will have an effect on the deficit. To be more blunt, we aren't going to achieve fiscal responsibility through this budget regardless of which version is passed. The only rational thing to do is pass a budget similar to years past, and live to fight another day on the larger fiscal issues (and more politically threatening).

Our leaders haven't made the decision yet. Some representatives have included massive amendments that radically change programs like Medicare, that they expect to be passed in a few days despite how polarizing they are. The bill came from Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan. I certainly give him credit for taking the leading and proposing a bill to end the stalemate, however, the bill is clearly just a show. Don't get me wrong, the bill includes major  cuts mostly by a complete reformation of Medicare. The proposal cuts out most of the government involvement and instead replaces it with a voucher system where people get money from the government to go buy private insurance. The Rep. knows that a voucher system is extremely controversial and that Medicare reforms needs similar time that healthcare reform had, a year's worth of debate. Yet here we are, introduced a few days ago, and where is the outcry of reform being "shoved down our throats?" 

The proposal with Medicare reform won't pass, and it just aims to fill the void since the President hasn't taken the initiative to introduce a WH supported bill. There are other discussions going on, most notably between Senator Harry Reid, Speaker of the House, John Beohner, and President Obama. All three have mentioned that all major issues have been resolved, except one. The sticking issue? a social one: Planned Parenthood. 

Before delving deeper into the debate, let's get rid of some misunderstanding of the program:

The division over this program is an ideological battle and is the reason why there hasn't been an agreement. Neither side is going to convince the other side to change their beliefs and agree to fund or de-fund Planned Parenthood. Republicans argue that Planned Parenthood should be defunded because enough small measure cuts will lead to larger deficit reduction. As I look into it more, the argument is just a cover for the conservatives' real intention: undermining institutions that support abortion. Conservative distaste of NPR and PBS is also the reason why they want to cut all funding for public media, not fiscal responsibility. 

I make the claim because Planned Parenthood's budget, is completely and utterly tiny. If a conservative wants to cut federal spending, they should go to the bigger programs, programs that can't be dealt with over the next few hours and instead should be debated over a year's time.Here is the debate in a short video, listen specifically to David Gergen, an adviser who worked for Democratic and Republican Presidents.

 As Anderson pointed out, the ideologically dividing issue of abortion was brought up by Republicans to either try slip it in to a difficult budget, or to intentionally place an issue that Dems would never vote for. I'm not just trying to take a hit at Republicans because I believe that there should be a party that watches for overspending, however, they are doing so in all the wrong ways.

I won't bother discussing the political ramifications for either party because that is all irrelevant. The fact remains that the basis of the debate is along ideological lines, lines that haven't changed for decades since the modern conservative movement. We won't solve them today, or in a week, or even a year. Pass a bill (without this controversial parts), that will do some basic cutting here and there. After it is passed, we can get down to the "meat and potatoes" of government overspending: entitlements.

The reason we haven't reached an agreement is because both sides expect the other side to cave in and adopt their measures. Let's put off the controversial amendments and deal with them when the deadline isn't as imminent. It is against the law for federal funds to fund abortions, so conservatives can rest at ease, but if they are still anxious about Planned Parenthood, we will address it Monday morning, but not tonight.

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