Patterico's Pontifications

10/1/2013

Does Ted Cruz Read Patterico?!

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 6:17 pm



For one brief, shining moment, I thought it might be so — when I saw that he has been urging the very same idea that I proposed here last night: funding the parts of government we like, and ignoring the rest:

The Texas senator proposed on Monday night that the House should begin passing small appropriations bills to keep specific portions of the government running after midnight, given the lack of negotiations between Senate Democrats and House Republicans on passing an all encompassing government spending bill.

“I think we ought to start passing continuing resolutions narrowly focused on each of the things the President listed [Monday,]” Cruz told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on “The Situation Room” on Monday.

Which, as it happens, is the very same thing I proposed last night as well:

Barack Obama took to the podium to complain about things that won’t get funded. He says: ““One faction of one party in one house of Congress in one branch of government doesn’t get to shut down the entire government just to re-fight the results of an election.”

Well, perhaps not. But we do hold the purse strings, Mr. President, and that too is the result of an election.

So, House Members, embrace the power to do what Barack Obama says you don’t “get to” do — namely, to decide to initiate spending. For those purposes you decide are appropriate.

If you’re worried about a specific program or department not being funded — and if you’re worried about taking blame for that program getting defunded — then here’s an idea: draft a bill to fund that program or department.

For example, the House certainly didn’t want to be branded as keeping soldiers from getting paid. So guess what? They passed a bill to pay soldiers. The Senate has already passed it. Boom. Problem solved. You won’t get blamed for soldiers not getting paid.

So: if there’s anything else you think should be funded, fund it. Think national parks should be operating? OK. Draft a bill. If it’s a very popular program or department, the Senate will pass your bill.

Turns out the “Situation Room” runs at 5 pm Eastern, meaning Cruz made his comments before mine. So I guess he didn’t get his idea from me. It’s a case of Great Minds Think Alike, and Sometimes, So Does Mine.

But it makes me feel a lot better to know that Ted Cruz is thinking the way I am. Makes me feel like he must have his head screwed on straight!

GOVERNMENT SLOWDOWN, DAY ONE

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 7:07 am



How do you plan to survive a day with only essential federal government services?

Me, I am about to fry up some tasty bacon and have a cup of coffee from one of those Keurig thingamajiggers. Some people say it doesn’t taste as good as regular brewed coffee, but I like it — and my! the convenience!

Post your stories of survival in the comments.


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