Abdicating Constitutional Responsibilities for Political Gain

The Constitution, for example, specifically charges Congress with the passage of a budget for the federal government. This year, the Democrats refused to pass one because the astronomically out-of-touch numbers and policies exposed in the process of doing so would inevitably adversely affect the Democratic Party during an election year.

The Constitution also specifically grants Congress the plenary power to tax. It’s right there in Article I, Section 8. And yet, faced with the reality that January 1, 2011 could bring with it the largest tax increases in American history with the expiration of the Bush tax cuts, the Democrats chose to adjourn Congress in order to (a) save face with a dwindling base that would be displeased with any attempt to not soak the so-called “rich,” and (b) take more time to personally smear Republican challengers in doomed elections from coast to coast because the policies espoused by the Democratic Party just aren’t anything to run on.

And yet, despite being specifically vested by the United States Constitution with an obligation to pass a budget and the plenary power to levy taxes, and instead of taking time to investigate glaringly egregious ethics violations by folks like Charlie Rangel–who, by the way, sounds like an emphysemic muppet–and Maxine Waters, in the alternative the Democrats chose to address a number of issues which fall outside the purview of congressional authority.

The Constitution, for example, specifically charges Congress with the passage of a budget for the federal government.

Maybe I'm missing something. I can't find this in the Constitution. All I can find is this:

a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time.[emphasis added]
Art. 1, Sec. 9

Where is the requirement in the Constitution for a budget?

About that "time to time" language:

This expression, from time to time, is very indefinite and indeterminate: it may extend to a century. Grant that any of them are wicked; they may squander the public money so as to ruin you, and yet this expression will give you no redress. I say they may ruin you; for where, sir, is the responsibility? The yeas and nays will show you nothing, unless they be fools as well as knaves; for, after having wickedly trampled on the rights of the people, they would act like fools indeed, were they to public and divulge {61} their iniquity, when they have it equally in their power to suppress and conceal it. Where is the responsibility — that leading principle in the British government? In that government, a punishment certain and inevitable is provided; but in this, there is no real, actual punishment for the grossest mal-administration. They may go without punishment, though they commit the most outrageous violation on our immunities. That paper may tell me they will be punished. I ask, By what law? They must make the law, for there is no existing law to do it. What! will they make a law to punish themselves?
This, sir, is my great objection to the Constitution, that there is no true responsibility — and that the preservation of our liberty depends on the single chance of men being virtuous enough to make laws to punish themselves.
Patrick Henry, June 5th, 1788

Power and corruption go together.

They do not care what the people want, they are doing all they can to put America in an untenable position and trampling the Constitution is first on the list.

It seems to be working. Many if not most true liberals are still on board with them. It is many independents that are not anymore.

Face it, the younger voters have been indoctrinated on our watch: and it has been happening for years. So they are believing what they were taught.

It is difficult to change a mind set.

IE, We see this exampled in religion all around us.

God help us in this day, in Jesus name amen.

Congress has, for the past hundred years or so, been delegating more and more of its authority to the Executive Branch - which has resulted in today’s sad situation, where a single person has, for all intents and purposes, singular power. This is a little like Lot’s situation where he searched up and down for a certain number of righteous people so that his city would not be destroyed. The trouble with Congress is that 99% of its members give the rest a bad name. Yup, one percent might be worth keeping. Five out of 535. Maybe.

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