Uneasy Riders

I probably haven't been paying as much attention as I should to the approaching federal govmint shutdown. Local and Statehouse stuff has been monopolizing my attention.

Slate's Dave Weigel has a good overview. There's coverage all over the place, so you don't need my help.

One thing you'll hear over and over again is that the stalemate is really all about the "riders," not necessarily the big-number-level of overall spending cuts. Riders are policy measures attached to the big HR 1 budget bill. They're along for the ride, and many are controversial. Technically, policy stuff like this isn't supposed to be attached to budget legislation.

Some high-profile riders - dismantling health care reform, for instance - have received attention, but most of the riders don't make the coverage cut. So I looked around for a comprehensive list.

The only one I found was compiled by OMB watch, a group that keeps tabs on the White House Office of Management and Budget. I've embedded the list below, although it says up front that it's not complete. I flipped through and found quite a few red flags, but I'll let you draw your own conclusions.

I will say my personal favorite rider would ban NASA collaboration with China. Mars may be a red planet, but we're getting there first.

Enjoy.

OMB_Watch-HR1_Policy_Riders