The Contemporary Issue: Budget Battling

Government spending has always led to issues between parties in the legislative branch but since the Obama Administration, the problem has seemed to escalate, possibly due to our party’s and country’s polarization. The Budget Control Act of 2011 under the Obama administration, “Increase[d] the debt limit in stages through 2012” and “Establishe[d] caps on discretionary spending through 2021.” (Bipartisan Policy Center) This implemented routine spending cuts through to the year 2021. Jump forward to the Trump presidency in late December 2018. This was the beginning of a 34-day government shutdown, something of a record-breaker. 

As described by The Balance, the government shuts down when Congress cannot come to an agreement on bills in order to fund the government for the upcoming fiscal year. (The Balance) In the Trump era, a huge factor in the ‘budget battle’ surrounded the need for increased funding for the wall on the southern border.

The Mexico-American wall was one of the main platforms on which president Trump campaigned for his presidency in 2016. 

While trying to fulfill his promises to his supporters and constituency and acquire the funding, he was faced with opposition from Democratic legislatures. This is feud led to the 2018-2019 historic government shutdown. For the duration of the shutdown, approximately 800,000 federal employees were not given pay and the economic activity was reduced by $3 billion. (Bipartisan Policy Center) After coming to an agreement in February, which reinstates the national debt limit to $22 trillion, President Trump and Congress came to an agreement for the upcoming fiscal year, however “By this point, nearly half of the fiscal year ha[d] already elapsed.” (Bipartisan Policy Center) Through all of this, we see the legislative discord between parties that led up to thousands of people unpaid and the loss of millions in economic circulation. 

Like Professor Hitt stated, are some politicians in office to simply disagree with their opposition or are they working to represent what they’re constituents want?

This is also an issue within the North Carolina district of Cumberland County. In a North Carolina Public Radio interview with Representative Billy Richardson it explains how the “House Democrats want to hold the line in sustaining Gov. Roy Cooper’s budget veto…” (WUNC) The Republicans of the house are trying to convince a small number of Democrats to help pass an override. Journalist Rusty Jacobs asks if Rep. Billy Richardson is for the override. His reply, “No… I have two jobs as a representative. One is to represent the people and the interests of my district… because I live in a district in sore need of many things.” (WUNC) Though a Democrat, Richardson aligns himself with the wants of his opposing party members that being a higher standard for teachers pay and local provisions for disasters. Richardson’s fellow Democrats are aimed towards Medicaid expansion and object cooperate tax cuts (WUNC).  The article explaining the interview goes on later to explain that although he believes in what many of the Republicans are aiming towards, he still may not cross party lines. Richardson states he “is a North Carolinian and an American with a ‘sacred’ responsibility to act in the best interest of his constituents and the people of the state. (WUNC)

Both of these examples show the complexity of budgeting while representing a constituency and what gridlocks can come of it. The economic downfall, while the government is stationary, can be catastrophic on a national level and within small districts. Some politicians may play into the opposition that our bipartisan government is founded upon and some such as Representative Richardson may be trying to act as trustees for those they represent while keeping their political affiliation. 

Citation

Amadeo, Kimberly. “Why the Government Shut Down and What Happens Next.” The Balance. https://www.thebalance.com/government-shutdown-3305683 (September 19, 2019).

“Budget Battles Defining Washington: A Timeline | Bipartisan Policy Center.” https://bipartisanpolicy.org/budget-timeline/ (September 17, 2019).

Jacobs, Rusty. “Democratic Rep. Laments Lack Of Leadership Amid NC Budget Battle.” https://www.wunc.org/post/democratic-rep-laments-lack-leadership-amid-nc-budget-battle (September 17, 2019).