Smith Slams Casey over Senate Budget Inaction

May 14, 2012

The U.S. Senate hasn’t passed a budget in over 3 years, and Tom Smith today laid the blame on Senate Democrats, including his opponent Bob Casey. In an online petition, the Republican hopeful backed a No Budget, No Pay measure – but stopped short of endorsing any specific spending proposal.

"Senator Casey and the career politicians are failing to do their job," insisted Smith, pointing to Casey as an example of Senatorial ineffectiveness, ". . .when you don’t do your job, you don’t get paid – Senator Casey should expect no different."

The petition is here…
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…There is currently a No Budget, No Pay bill, S.1981, introduced by Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV), with 10 cosponsors (9 Republicans, Democrat Joe Manchin, and no Casey).

Democratic leadership in the Senate has avoided proposing or passing a budget plan, likely to avoid public intra-party conflict and potential general election liabilities – not to mention the unlikelihood of striking a compromise with the House GOP. Rather, they’ve been authorizing individual elements of the government piecemeal.

Casey and every Democrat voted against four major budget proposals in 2011: those of Rep. Paul Ryan, Sen. Rand Paul, Sen. Pat Toomey, and President Obama.

It precipitated a showdown with House Republicans, eventually culminating in the Budget Control Act, which raised the debt ceiling, outlined failsafe spending cuts, and established the bipartisan super committee which tried and failed to find a budget agreement…

"Tom would work tirelessly to ensure Congress fulfills its obligation to pass a budget," said Smith Campaign Manager Jim Conroy. "Tom commends Senators Toomey, Paul, and Rep. Ryan for continuing to work towards a solution – while Senator Casey and the Senate majority have walked off the field. That’s why Tom believes congressional pay should be suspended until a budget is passed…."