A Better Budget -- The House "Blue Dog" Alternative

The "Blue Dog" coalition of conservative Democrats in the House has compiled a substitute budget that all fiscally responsible legislators should consider.

Unlike the Republican budgets, which extend only through 2009, the Blue Dog budget spans the full 10-year budget period traditionally used by Congress.

It is not a perfect budget -- no budget this year really solves all the problems associated with expiring tax cuts, the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT), and entitlement costs.

However, the Blue Dog budget does the best job of "paying for" its initiatives and laying the budgetary groundwork for a "pay-as-you-go" ethic in Congress.

Here are some of the details:

1. Section-by-section summary
2. 10-year budget figures
3. Comparison of "discretionary" spending levels

Links:
Centrists.Org A "Duck The Issues" Budget -- Interpreting the Congressional Budget for 2005 (March 19, 2004)

Centrist Policy Network Blue Dog Conservative Democrats' Budget Enforcement Proposal (March 10, 2004)

Centrist Policy Network Republican Moderates' "Main Street" Budget Principles (March 10, 2004)

Posted by Jeff Lemieux at March 24, 2004 10:45 AM