It is difficult, even for budget-savvy folks to follow the rocky road of PAYGO and its many iterations and exemptions. Suffice to say, the best laid plans often go awry. And congressional budgeting has been a big catcher in the awry.
What good have all these budget gimmicks done over the years? If we look at the current budget situation at the end of this 118th Congress, it’s a mess. Congress has not adopted a budget resolution for this fiscal year, has not enacted any of its 12 regular appropriations bills, and is running a deficit of $1.83 trillion.
Over the years, Congress has steadily been losing its grip on the fiscal purse strings of its Constitutional power of the purse. Gypsy Rose might smile at the sight of the first branch shedding its fiscal garments. But members should be outraged, especially over threats from some in the incoming administration to strip Congress of its final fiscal fig leaf.
