By J. Bruce Richardson; March 12, 2019
The Trump Administration submitted its proposed Fiscal Year 2020 federal budget to Congress on Monday, March 11th.
As with many budget proposals of many administrations of different political parties, either cuts were proposed to passenger rail, transit, and transportation projects that drew a great cry of foul play, or, too much money was put to certain projects, which drew a great cry of foul play, or, some areas and projects were completely ignored in the proposed budget, which drew a great cry of foul play.
And, is always the case of when a White House of one political party submits a proposed budget to a House of Representatives of a different political party, the budget was Dead On Arrival.
Which, holds true for this proposed budget for FY 2020.
These annual budget proposals do provide several benefits: Reams of news stories are written about the proposed budget, and lots of political officials and present and former bureaucrats are asked about the proposed budget. This provides lots of fresh verbiage for a news cycle.
Pundits of all stripes are able to write opinion columns or appear as talking heads on cable news television shows and display the depth of their knowledge (or, lack thereof) of the proposed budget and the process a budget goes through before it becomes law. Along the way, lots of sacred cows and the occasional gored ox are slain, and favorite projects are vetted.
Then, there are the lobbying groups which immediately begin membership and fundraising campaigns, forever ringing the alarm bells that catastrophic consequences are at hand with the proposed budget if immediate action isn’t taken by any one particular organization which will save the world for future generations by correcting the many alleged errors in the proposed budget. At the end of the budget process, these same groups will graciously pat themselves on the back through press releases, telling the world that thanks to their savvy and great influence on Capitol Hill, the Republic will stand, and their favored projects were “saved.”
This early in the budget process there is only one true path to take; sit back, read the proposed budget if you must, then watch the annual budget process for the entertainment value of watching fiscal sausage being made.
No one organization will “save” passenger trains, nor will hundreds of members of the House and Senate vote against something that will deprive themselves of the ability to bring home the proverbial bacon.
Deals will be made, promises will be kept and broken, and, in the end, a final budget will be crafted that is not nearly as extreme as the original proposed budget, no matter which party does the proposing, and which party does the congressional voting.
It’s the way it’s always been done. It’s not a perfect process, but it’s a workable process.
Just enjoy the show and let others worry the sky is falling. It’s not.