Cross-posted at Congress Matters
Josh Marshall reminds me this morning that the Federal Budget does NOT require 60 Senate votes.
Which leads me to ask a whole bunch of questions appropriate for this Congress Matters forum (and for Daily Kos too!).
- What type of spending programs can be included in the federal budget? Can spending that was cut out of the stimulus bill be put back into the Federal Budget?
- What are the rules for what forms of related legislation can be attached to the Budget? For example, could the Employee Free Choice Act be attached to the budget, if Congress can make a case that the act would raise wages, thereby increasing tax revenue?
- What does the fact that Obama can pass the budget with zero Republicans, and even with losing a handful of Democrats, mean in terms of the maximum amount of progressive legislation we can get out of the budget?
Much thanks!