In the short term, the adoption of a permanent continuing resolution would remove the leverage of the threat of a government shutdown. As the article indicates, this method is used in North Carolina and other States. Unfortunately, the Constitution limits appropriations “to raise and support armies” to two years, so it is an imperfect solution at the Federal level.
However, a deeper fix is needed.
I would change the Senate rules to make appropriations bills passable on a majority vote and not subject to filibuster, PROVIDED they have no legislative riders or earmarks attached. If a legislative rider or earmark is attached, the threshold would rise to 60 votes.
I would also change the rules of both Houses to provide that the appropriations process takes absolute priority over all legislation in either House and over executive business in the Senate, which would provide a tremendous motivation to clear the appropriations bills quickly.
I would also add a point of order in both Houses against any line item for which statutory authorization does not already exist.
The 60 vote threshold in the Senate is the biggest cause of the current cluster ■■■■ we see.
On one side, yes, you can reduce wasteful spending.
On the other side, it would increase the power of the President relative to Congress and I believe the President to already be way too powerful.
If this was done, I would like to see other changes done that would weaken the President in other ways to counterbalance the power increase from a line item veto.
