Posted on 04/12/2011 3:03:15 PM PDT by Qbert
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said Tuesday that he's considering a filibuster of the budget agreement to fund the government for the remainder of this fiscal year.
Paul, who said yesterday that he would vote against the agreement reached last Friday to cut $39.9 billion between now and September, acknowledged that he's considering waging a filibuster, which would make it so that leaders need 60 votes to pass the deal and advance it to President Obama's desk.
"Yes, but we haven't really made a final decision on that yet," Paul said on conservative talker Sean Hannity's radio show.
A filibuster would make it difficult for the Senate to pass the budget deal by midnight Friday, when the government's funding will run out.
Paul acknowledged that even if he were to filibuster, it's unlikely that he'll attract 40 other senators' votes in order to sustain his procedural roadblock to the budget deal.
But such a move might crystallize conservative dissatisfaction with the deal brokered by House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) in last minute negotiations with Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). Conservatives are angry the deal falls short of the benchmark of $100 billion in cuts below Obama's original budget proposal for this fiscal year.
Paul said that he would be more inclined to block action in the upper chamber if led to consideration of the Senate GOP's balanced budget amendment.
But even if it came up in the Senate, Paul said that House GOP leaders would be reluctant to bring it up since Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-Wis.) budget does not balance out for at least two decades.
"My sense is that because it takes 28 years to balance the budget under Ryan's plan, the House does not want to pursue a balanced budget amendment," he said.
"The problem is that I don't think I have the leverage now."
A spokesman for Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said passing Ryan's budget plan is the first priority.
“The Balanced Budget Amendment, which must be ratified in the states, represents a long-term option, but right now we’re focused on the Ryan budget we hope to pass this week, which will put out us on a path to pay down the debt," Boehner spokesman Michael Steel said.
Updated at 4:55 p.m.
If the deal really is as cr@ppy as it is turning out to be, this could be a very, very interesting and useful move.
Go Rand.
Agreed. He's one of the very few politicians in DC I have even the smallest amount of ideological faith in. PJ O'Rourke correctly named the rest - a Parliament of Whores.
Go for it. All this sound and fury over making cuts from an INCREASE on spending beyond previous spending, that is still an increase in spending, and still requiring about one trillion dollars in loans to pay for. Mind you, the debt is now 14.3 trillion as it is.
Here’s that in decimal notation:
I’ll put the cuts from additional spending under it to compare.
14,300,000,000,000
.......39,900,000,000
Ain't that the stinkin' truth.
“If the deal really is as cr@ppy as it is turning out to be, this could be a very, very interesting and useful move.”
Yep. Especially if he can get the Balanced Budget Amendment out of it. Why wait for later? (But already Boehner appears to be against this).
You know, first I criticized Boehner because he clearly was botching the negotiations by declaring he wouldn't shut down the govt, and then by drip-drip-drip letting the cuts drop from $100B down to nothing. Then I supported him last weekend when it looked like he might be pulling a win out of a hat.
Now he's just pissing me off. He needs to go.
This is the reality of the situation. We're just watching a bunch of kubuki theater.
Exactly.
He’s been an absolute disaster so far.
“”My sense is that because it takes 28 years to balance the budget under Ryan’s plan, the House does not want to pursue a balanced budget amendment,” he said.
-This is the reality of the situation. We’re just watching a bunch of kubuki theater.”
Unfortunately true. Too bad the bond markets won’t be so generous and give us 28 years...
I like it. GO Rand, GO!
"The clear deceit of the negotiators...."
That includes you, John Boehner. Now maybe we'll give you something to cry about.
I’m steamed. Really, really steamed.
This is going to be quite a week.
What a whoreable thing to say. ;-)
DO IT!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.