Federal Government Shutdown: Day 1

[Hugin]

I am of the belief that there is a separation of powers issue if the Legislative branch can hold the Executive branch hostage in this manner.

Anyone care to clairify the matter for me? Is it somewhere in the checks-and-balances provisions?

And, why are only certain functions shut down? Isn't that a violation of the equal protections provisions clearly required throughout the US Constitution?

I realize I should not be trying to rationalize the irrational, but, if these aspects are not addressed we can expect only more of the same in the future.

[elleng]

1. Congress controls the paycheck/budget,

so if there is none, there are no funds to pay. Its in the Constitution:

The U.S. Constitution (Article I, section 9, clause 7) states that "No money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time."



The Budget of the United States Government often begins as the President's proposal to the U.S. Congress which recommends funding levels for the next fiscal year, beginning October 1. However, Congress is the body required by law to pass a budget annually and to submit the budget passed by both houses to the President for signature. Congressional decisions are governed by rules and legislation regarding the federal budget process. Budget committees set spending limits for the House and Senate committees and for Appropriations subcommittees, which then approve individual appropriations bills to allocate funding to various federal programs.

If Congress fails to pass an annual budget, a series of Appropriations bills must be passed as "stop gap" measures. After Congress approves an appropriations bill, it is sent to the President, who may sign it into law, or may veto it (as he would a budget when passed by the Congress). A vetoed bill is sent back to Congress, which can pass it into law with a two-thirds majority in each chamber. Congress may also combine all or some appropriations bills into an omnibus reconciliation bill. In addition, the president may request and the Congress may pass supplemental appropriations bills or emergency supplemental appropriations bills.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_federal_budget

[Hugin]

2. Yes, but, I do not see any mention of how this allows partisan Legislators to extort the Executive

Branch from implementing a Constitutional Law by withholding the entire budget or refusing to raise a debt ceiling ( which did not even exist at the time).