Congress Sneaky Budget Gimmicks that Cost US Money

Congress Sneaky Budget Gimmicks that Cost US Money

 

Most everyone has heard of the budget deals, whitewashed bailouts, and outrageous spending of the Dim congress these past few years. How about spending that doesn't get in the records, sneaky gimmicks, legalized appropriations?

 

When Congress puts off mandatory spending, it counts it as savings. If it puts off, say $500 million, three times in three years, it says it has saved $1.5 billion from the budget: called changes in mandatory spending.

 

If congress labels an appropriation an emergency, there is no red ink. Of course, Katrina, the BP oil spill, and Joplin were emergencies. Congress also called the census (conducted every ten years since 1788) of 2010 an emergency proving they can call anything "emergency" making it exempt from balanced budget provisions.

 

The BO administration recently cost taxpayers $500 million in crony spending called a "loan guarantee" for Solyndra, the bankrupt solar panel company. The Congressional Budget Office claims loan "guarantees" are money makers which reduce the deficit despite any losses.

 

Authorized monies that Congress knows won't be spent by later "rescinding" the expense is counted as deficit reduction. Example: $1.8 billion that was allocated the 2010 Census. First it's an emergency then part rescinded, double savings since it was exempt and now not spent.

 

Federal Employees get "step" with-in grade salary increases whether or not they are dong exemplary or even good work based on accrual of time at their current GS levels. It is "incentive" pay to keep feds on the job (though 20% earn $100,000 or more per annum). The so-called freeze of Federal Pay and cost of living hikes doesn't apply here.

 

Spending is only counted against a current budget in the year it becomes available to spend. So if Congress authorizes a billion for, say the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in 2014, its expense is not counted until that fiscal year begins. If a portion is then "rescinded", that is a savings and Congress can point to the deferral to say spending limits must be raised again!

 

CBO only counts expenditures once so Congress can transfer monies from the General Fund to the Highway Trust Fund and CBO doesn't "see" an expense until it is allocated to the States, which comes later. The transfers cost the General Fund and added to the deficit but appears free monies outside of the budgetary caps.

 

Ever see or hear a Congressman ask for a bill to be passed by "unanimous consent"? No debate, not formally passed so no "voting" record. Its sort of a secret spending method since neither the public nor media is informed so monies can be expended without anyone knowing who or how.

 

By kicking the spending can down the road of time for future legislators to worry about, expensive things such as Social Security and Medicare can be funded without making the current budget look as lucrative as it really is. SS/MC now amount to more than 20% of total expenditures and "entitlements" exceed 50%.

 

Considering more than 40% of all Americans pay NO federal income taxes (if ALL your taxes are returned each year, you haven't paid any, have you?) but actually GET federal monies, if Congress continues its dishonest ways, there cannot ever be enough monies to pay off our debts.

 

And YES, our Billy Boy, current congressman participated in all these practices this term, as did many more.

 

PL Booth, The Blue Eye View of MO, 12-31-11

 

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