A More Effective Federal Budget Process

Setting a responsible course for the federal budget requires political will and compromise.

Part of a Series

Idea of the Day

Idea of the Day

I do not think there is anyone who thinks the budget process is currently working as it should. Budget decisions are too often made in the heat of a crisis, which has caused unnecessary economic damage and led to ill-conceived policies getting rushed into law

I think we can agree there is room for improvement in the way the government sets fiscal policy. However, it is not the current budget process that creates the types of crises that have, in recent years, become the only way to force action. The pattern of lurching from crisis to crisis is not caused by a failure of process but rather a failure of political will to make the compromises necessary to govern. In fact, compromise is the key to making any budget process work.

For more on this idea, please see:

Fixing Sequestration and Improving the Budget Process by Carmel Martin

The positions of American Progress, and our policy experts, are independent, and the findings and conclusions presented are those of American Progress alone. A full list of supporters is available here. American Progress would like to acknowledge the many generous supporters who make our work possible.