No matter what happens today with the government shutdown, the situation is going to be even more difficult this September when the House, Senate, and White House fight over the 2012 appropriations. The House GOP is likely to propose even larger appropriations reductions in next year’s budget than it did for fiscal 2011 and the battle will be far more intense. This especially will be the case if (1) the tea party wing of the GOP doesn’t get what it wants on the 2011 appropriations and feels that it needs to make a stand on 2012, and (2) if House Speaker John Boehner thinks he has to make a stand on 2012 spending to show the tea party he doesn’t deserve a primary opponent.
In other words…Expect another shutdown threat…or an actual shutdown…in less than 6 months.
Remember…You heard it here first.
Well then maybe they should start deciding on the 2012 budget NOW, since apparently it takes them 6+ months to figure it out.