a few of my friends have told me this

[littlewolf]

the fact that the Dem controlled Senate can not
pass a budget since 2011 is going to cost them
in Nov. I thought there had to be a budget
every year? I know there have been
fights about debt ceilings and continuing resolutions
but budgets ???

[Vincardog]

1. The GOP has been stopping The Senate from any forward progress. We will be the ones

to blame when we have a filibuster proof majority.
OTOH they seem to be in charge whenever they have a simple majority.
Go figure.

[SDjack]

5. DEMs have blue dogs. Rethugs -- well, they are all rethugs. n/t

[Swede Atlanta]

2. It depends on the temperature of the electorate....

It is true the Senate has failed to pass a budget in some time (I'm not going to profess I know the specifics).

But the government continues to be funded, at current levels, through continuing resolutions. It gives the Congress/President an opportunity to develop and pass a budget.

Some voters will see this failure to be indicative of a need for change. Others will look at the Ryan budget passed in the House and see Frankenstein. So the fact one chamber passes something draconian and out of step with the public and another fails to pass anything is before the American people.

We will have to see how they vote.

[littlewolf]

4. but thru the conference comtee

they could work out differences correct ... isnt this
how it is usually done ....?

[SoutherDem]

3. To pass any budget now would be a disaster.

The house would send the Ryan budget and stop any changes. So, thus no budget.

[and-justice-for-all]

6. That is not a determing factor

at least not for me. Amongst everything else, that is rather mute.

[Roselma]

7. The Senate is not required to pass a

budget. And...why bother? Excerpt from http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2012/02/parliamentary-procedure

"So yes, the Senate could pass a budget resolution, but without the cooperation of the house or 60 votes, that resolution would not take effect; it would be an empty gesture. The fact that the House managed to pass a budget last year, including a major overhaul of Medicare, reflects its different rules that allow it to deem the budget resolution to have taken effect. But it "didn't ultimately matter: the provisions in its budget, including the Medicare changes, were not binding on the Senate.

[Tx4obama]

8. A budget agreement for for fiscal years 2012 and 2013 was agreed to in 2011, see below

See the first TWO links in this OP here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1100506