New process on appropriations in GOP-run House promises spending cuts � Hot Air

Two of the last three budgets have (or will) passed Congress in omnibus form. Democrats played keep-away with FY2009 in order to avoid dealing with George Bush, and instead passed continuing resolutions until they could get an omnibus bill for Barack Obama to sign. For FY2011, the Democrats didn’t bother to produce a budget at all until after the midterms despite having large majorities and a Democrat in the White House, instead waiting until now to push another huge omnibus spending bill through the lame-duck session. This approach creates pressure for an all-or-nothing vote on the entire federal spending plan, steamrolling those who oppose specific areas of spending — and it’s hard to argue that this is an accident."