U.S. Representative Jim Cooper complains many in Congress don’t want to take on the messy federal budget until after this fall’s election. Cooper says the conventional wisdom is they’ll work out a deal in the less political lame-duck session afterward, but he warns they shouldn’t wait.
Cooper says delaying a compromise until after election day is a move with political convenience in mind, and not much else.
“What they’re really saying is ‘We don’t ever want to take responsibility today. We always want the problem to be solved by the next group, the next year.’ – Because, they’re chickening out.”
At the end of this year several federal budget issues will come to a head. If nothing is done, automatic cuts will slice into defense, and the Bush tax cuts and a payroll tax holiday will both expire.
Last week Tennessee Senator Bob Corker, a Republican, said he thinks mounting gridlock in Washington will soon hit a breaking a point, and lead to a bipartisan deal, no matter who’s elected.
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