PAYGO won’t mean a balanced budget

Original post on Boot Berry

What would you call a Congressman who voted for a bill that led to the US being on the hook for nearly $24 TRILLION, then voted to spend billions more on the two most inefficient American auto companies, then voted to spend another $787 billion on a stimulus plan that didn’t stimulate the economy, then voted for a federal budget that QUADRUPLED the deficit in just one year, and after all that, claimed to be a fiscal conservative?

Hypocrite seems to fit the bill.

After voting for all the irresponsible spending noted above, last week I received an email from Berry titled “Join me in my support of PAYGO.” Just in case you don’t know, PAYGO is the short, misleading name for HR 2920 that passed the US House on July 22 of this year. The name of course leads one to believe this bill will force Congress to pass a balanced budget every year once it becomes law. So you may be asking yourself why would we have a problem with it?

It’s simple. This bill DOES NOT force Congress to pass a balanced budget. It’s nothing more than a typical Washington con job, intentionally designed to fool the American people. Marion Berry and his Democratic colleagues expect you to see the title and read no more. They don’t expect you to read the bill and they don’t expect you to look back to the previous grossly irresponsible, wasteful votes listed above.

But we did read the bill and the Democratic hypocrisy is more blatant than we could have even imagined. After pages and pages of lawyer language demanding the return of fiscal responsibility in DC, we arrived at the final section of the bill. Section 11 is titled “Exemptions” and as its name implies, it enumerates all the government programs the DC swindlers can continue to spend more money than we have on. Now, if you want to read them all, you’re going to be here a while.

Here’s a list of programs that the government will still be able to spend more than it takes in on, even if this supposed “PAYGO” legislation becomes law. This list just makes the hypocrisy of Berry and the rest of the DC Democrats as obvious as the nose on your face.

• ‘Activities resulting from private donations, bequests, or voluntary contributions to the Government.
• ‘Activities financed by voluntary payments to the Government for goods or services to be provided for such payments.
• ‘Administration of Territories, Northern Mariana Islands Covenant grants (14-0412-0-1-808).
• ‘Advances to the Unemployment Trust Fund and Other Funds (16-0327-0-1-600).
• ‘Black Lung Disability Trust Fund Refinancing (16-0329-0-1-601).
• ‘Bonneville Power Administration Fund and borrowing authority established pursuant to section 13 of Public Law 93-454 (1974), as amended (89-4045-0-3-271).
• ‘Claims, Judgments, and Relief Acts (20-1895-0-1-808).
• ‘Compact of Free Association (14-0415-0-1-808).
• ‘Compensation of the President (11-0209-01-1-802).
• ‘Comptroller of the Currency, Assessment Funds (20-8413-0-8-373).
• ‘Continuing Fund, Southeastern Power Administration (89-5653-0-2-271).
• ‘Continuing Fund, Southwestern Power Administration (89-5649-0-2-271).
• ‘Dual Benefits Payments Account (60-0111-0-1-601).
• ‘Emergency Fund, Western Area Power Administration (89-5069-0-2-271).
• ‘Exchange Stabilization Fund (20-4444-0-3-155).
• ‘Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Deposit Insurance Fund (51-4596-4-4-373).
• ‘Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, FSLIC Resolution Fund (51-4065-0-3-373).
• ‘Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Noninterest Bearing Transaction Account Guarantee (51-4458-0-3-373).
• ‘Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Senior Unsecured Debt Guarantee (51-4457-0-3-373).
• ‘Federal Housing Finance Agency, Administrative Expenses (95-5532-0-2-371).
• ‘Federal Payment to the District of Columbia Judicial Retirement and Survivors Annuity Fund (20-1713-0-1-752).
• ‘Federal Payment to the District of Columbia Pension Fund (20-1714-0-1-601).
• ‘Federal Payments to the Railroad Retirement Accounts (60-0113-0-1-601).
• ‘Federal Reserve Bank Reimbursement Fund (20-1884-0-1-803).
• ‘Financial Agent Services (20-1802-0-1-803).
• ‘Foreign Military Sales Trust Fund (11-8242-0-7-155).
• ‘Hazardous Waste Management, Conservation Reserve Program (12-4336-0-3-999).
• ‘Host Nation Support Fund for Relocation (97-8337-0-7-051).
• ‘Internal Revenue Collections for Puerto Rico (20-5737-0-2-806).
• ‘Intragovernmental funds, including those from which the outlays are derived primarily from resources paid in from other government accounts, except to the extent such funds are augmented by direct appropriations for the fiscal year during which an order is in effect.
• ‘Medical Facilities Guarantee and Loan Fund (75-9931-0-3-551).
• ‘National Credit Union Administration, Central Liquidity Facility (25-4470-0-3-373).
• ‘National Credit Union Administration, Corporate Credit Union Share Guarantee Program (25-4476-0-3-376).
• ‘National Credit Union Administration, Credit Union Homeowners Affordability Relief Program (25-4473-0-3-371).
• ‘National Credit Union Administration, Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (25-4468-0-3-373).
• ‘National Credit Union Administration, Credit Union System Investment Program (25-4474-0-3-376).
• ‘National Credit Union Administration, Operating fund (25-4056-0-3-373).
• ‘National Credit Union Administration, Share Insurance Fund Corporate Debt Guarantee Program (25-4469-0-3-376).
• ‘National Credit Union Administration, U.S. Central Federal Credit Union Capital Program (25-4475-0-3-376).
• ‘Office of Thrift Supervision (20-4108-0-3-373).
• ‘Panama Canal Commission Compensation Fund (16-5155-0-2-602).
• ‘Payment of Vietnam and USS Pueblo prisoner-of-war claims within the Salaries and Expenses, Foreign Claims Settlement account (15-0100-0-1-153).
• ‘Payment to Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund (24-0200-0-1-805).
• ‘Payment to Department of Defense Medicare-Eligible Retiree Health Care Fund (97-0850-0-1-054).
• ‘Payment to Judiciary Trust Funds (10-0941-0-1-752).
• ‘Payment to Military Retirement Fund (97-0040-0-1-054).
• ‘Payment to the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Fund (19-0540-0-1-153).
• ‘Payments to Copyright Owners (03-5175-0-2-376).
• ‘Payments to Health Care Trust Funds (75-0580-0-1-571).
• ‘Payment to Radiation Exposure Compensation Trust Fund (15-0333-0-1-054).
• ‘Payments to Social Security Trust Funds (28-0404-0-1-651).
• ‘Payments to the United States Territories, Fiscal Assistance (14-0418-0-1-806).
• ‘Payments to trust funds from excise taxes or other receipts properly creditable to such trust funds.
• ‘Payments to widows and heirs of deceased Members of Congress (00-0215-0-1-801).
• ‘Postal Service Fund (18-4020-0-3-372).
• ‘Radiation Exposure Compensation Trust Fund (15-8116-0-1-054).
• ‘Reimbursement to Federal Reserve Banks (20-0562-0-1-803).
• ‘Salaries of Article III judges.
• ‘Soldiers and Airmen’s Home, payment of claims (84-8930-0-7-705).
• ‘Tennessee Valley Authority Fund, except nonpower programs and activities (64-4110-0-3-999).
• ‘Tribal and Indian trust accounts within the Department of the Interior which fund prior legal obligations of the Government or which are established pursuant to Acts of Congress regarding Federal management of tribal real property or other fiduciary responsibilities, including but not limited to Tribal Special Fund (14-5265-0-2-452), Tribal Trust Fund (14-8030-0-7-452), White Earth Settlement (14-2204-0-1-452), and Indian Water Rights and Habitat Acquisition (14-5505-0-2-303).
• ‘United Mine Workers of America 1992 Benefit Plan (95-8260-0-7-551).
• ‘United Mine Workers of America 1993 Benefit Plan (95-8535-0-7-551).
• ‘United Mine Workers of America Combined Benefit Fund (95-8295-0-7-551).
• ‘United States Enrichment Corporation Fund (95-4054-0-3-271).
• ‘Universal Service Fund (27-5183-0-2-376).
• ‘Vaccine Injury Compensation (75-0320-0-1-551).
• ‘Vaccine Injury Compensation Program Trust Fund (20-8175-0-7-551).
• ‘(B) The following Federal retirement and disability accounts and activities shall be exempt from reduction under any order issued under this part:
• ‘Black Lung Disability Trust Fund (20-8144-0-7-601).
• ‘Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System Fund (56-3400-0-1-054).
• ‘Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund (24-8135-0-7-602).
• ‘Comptrollers general retirement system (05-0107-0-1-801).
• ‘Contributions to U.S. Park Police annuity benefits, Other Permanent Appropriations (14-9924-0-2-303).
• ‘Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Retirement Fund (95-8290-0-7-705).
• ‘Department of Defense Medicare-Eligible Retiree Health Care Fund (97-5472-0-2-551).
• ‘District of Columbia Federal Pension Fund (20-5511-0-2-601).
• ‘District of Columbia Judicial Retirement and Survivors Annuity Fund (20-8212-0-7-602).
• ‘Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Fund (16-1523-0-1-053).
• ‘Foreign National Employees Separation Pay (97-8165-0-7-051).
• ‘Foreign Service National Defined Contributions Retirement Fund (19-5497-0-2-602).
• ‘Foreign Service National Separation Liability Trust Fund (19-8340-0-7-602).
• ‘Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Fund(19-8186-0-7-602).
• ‘Government Payment for Annuitants, Employees Health Benefits (24-0206-0-1-551).
• ‘Government Payment for Annuitants, Employee Life Insurance (24-0500-0-1-602).
• ‘Judicial Officers’ Retirement Fund (10-8122-0-7-602).
• ‘Judicial Survivors’ Annuities Fund (10-8110-0-7-602).
• ‘Military Retirement Fund (97-8097-0-7-602).
• ‘National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust (60-8118-0-7-601).
• ‘National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration retirement (13-1450-0-1-306).
• ‘Pensions for former Presidents (47-0105-0-1-802).
• ‘Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund (24-5391-0-2-551).
• ‘Public Safety Officer Benefits (15-0403-0-1-754).
• ‘Rail Industry Pension Fund (60-8011-0-7-601).
• ‘Retired Pay, Coast Guard (70-0602-0-1-403).
• ‘Retirement Pay and Medical Benefits for Commissioned Officers, Public Health Service (75-0379-0-1-551).
• ‘Special Benefits for Disabled Coal Miners (16-0169-0-1-601).
• ‘Special Benefits, Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (16-1521-0-1-600).
• ‘Special Workers Compensation Expenses (16-9971-0-7-601).
• ‘Tax Court Judges Survivors Annuity Fund (23-8115-0-7-602).
• ‘United States Court of Federal Claims Judges’ Retirement Fund (10-8124-0-7-602).
• ‘United States Secret Service, DC Annuity (70-0400-0-1-751).
• ‘Voluntary Separation Incentive Fund (97-8335-0-7-051).
• ‘(2) Prior legal obligations of the Government in the following budget accounts and activities shall be exempt from any order issued under this part:
• ‘Biomass Energy Development (20-0114-0-1-271).
• ‘Check Forgery Insurance Fund (20-4109-0-3-803).
• ‘Credit liquidating accounts.
• ‘Credit reestimates.
• ‘Employees Life Insurance Fund (24-8424-0-8-602).
• ‘Federal Aviation Insurance Revolving Fund (69-4120-0-3-402).
• ‘Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Fund (12-4085-0-3-351).
• ‘Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Flood Insurance Fund (58-4236-0-3-453).
• ‘Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac).
• ‘Federal National Mortgage Corporation (Fannie Mae).
• ‘Geothermal resources development fund (89-0206-0-1-271).
• ‘Low-Rent Public Housing–Loans and Other Expenses (86-4098-0-3-604).
• ‘Maritime Administration, War Risk Insurance Revolving Fund (69-4302-0-3-403).
• ‘Natural Resource Damage Assessment Fund (14-1618-0-1-302).
• ‘Overseas Private Investment Corporation, Noncredit Account (71-4184-0-3-151).
• ‘Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation Fund (16-4204-0-3-601).
• ‘San Joaquin Restoration Fund (14-5537-0-2-301).
• ‘Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance Fund (36-4009-0-3-701).
• ‘Terrorism Insurance Program (20-0123-0-1-376).
• ‘(h) Low-income Programs- The following programs shall be exempt from reduction under any order issued under this part:
• ‘Academic Competitiveness/Smart Grant Program (91-0205-0-1-502).
• ‘Child Care Entitlement to States (75-1550-0-1-609).
• ‘Child Enrollment Contingency Fund (75-5551-0-2-551).
• ‘Child Nutrition Programs (with the exception of special milk programs) (12-3539-0-1-605).
• ‘Children’s Health Insurance Fund (75-0515-0-1-551).
• ‘Commodity Supplemental Food Program (12-3507-0-1-605).
• ‘Contingency Fund (75-1522-0-1-609).
• ‘Family Support Programs (75-1501-0-1-609).
• ‘Federal Pell Grants under section 401 Title IV of the Higher Education Act.
• ‘Grants to States for Medicaid (75-0512-0-1-551).
• ‘Payments for Foster Care and Permanency (75-1545-0-1-609).
• ‘Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (12-3505-0-1-605).
• ‘Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (75-1552-0-1-609).’
• (d) Economic Recovery Programs- Section 255 of BBEDCA is amended by adding the following after subsection (h):
• ‘(i) Economic Recovery Programs- The following programs shall be exempt from reduction under any order issued under this part:
• ‘All programs enacted in, or increases in programs provided by, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
• ‘Exchange Stabilization Fund-Money Market Mutual Fund Guaranty Facility (20-4274-0-3-376).
• ‘Financial Stabilization Reserve (20-0131-4-1-376).
• ‘GSE Mortgage-Backed Securities Purchase Program Account (20-0126-0-1-371).
• ‘GSE Preferred Stock Purchase Agreements (20-0125-0-1-371).
• ‘Office of Financial Stability (20-0128-0-1-376)
• ‘Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (20-0133-0-1-376).
• ‘Troubled Asset Relief Program Account (20-0132-0-1-376).
• ‘Troubled Asset Relief Program Equity Purchase Program (20-0134-0-1-376).
• ‘Troubled Asset Relief Program, Home Affordable Modification Program (20-0136-0-1-604).’

With all of these “exemptions,” does anybody really believe this bill will provide for a balanced budget? This is a typical Berry tactic. In the months leading up to an election, Berry dons a conservative hat. As soon as he’s elected, or his liberal Democratic colleagues need his vote, he’s all too willing to turn on his conservative Arkansas constituents.
Don’t let him fool you. Berry’s no fiscal conservative.