GOP plan promises to reclaim congressional powers

[SZonian]

WASHINGTON (AP) - The latest piece of the campaign agenda commissioned by House Speaker Paul Ryan is promising to reclaim powers ceded to the presidency, give stronger directions to federal bureaucrats, and reassert lawmakers' control over the federal purse strings.

The plan unveiled Thursday is a product of a task force studded with Republican conservatives. It promises a focus on the nuts-and-bolts work of Congress: updating federal programs; advancing individual appropriations bills; and overhauling Capitol Hill's remarkably arcane budget process.

In many ways, however, the plan reads like an indictment of Congress' inability to do its core functions, such as passing the 12 spending bills as separate items instead of a year-end unamendable omnibus bill.

"Passing individual bills is far superior to using a catch-all omnibus," says the plan. "Passing individual bills allows Congress to maintain tighter control over how federal funds are spent."

[excerpted]

http://www.waff.com/story/32238165/gop-plan-promises-to-reclaim-congressional-powers

[geronl]

Used to be people knew how to write budgets.

Used to be people knew which bathroom to use.

Now we think cursive writing is some kind of secret code and those who do math in their head are burned as witches.

[Sanguine]

He might rise above zero in my estimation if he were to actually do this.