McConnell mocks Senate Dems for missing budget plan

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) gently mocked Senate Democrats on Tuesday for so far failing to produce a fiscal year 2012 spending plan. 

 “They [Democrats] say they prefer the ideas the President outlined in a speech he gave last month,” McConnell said.  

“Well, unfortunately we can't vote on a speech ... but if that's what it takes to get Democrats engaged in this debate, maybe we should revisit the rules so we can actually vote on a speech,” said McConnell.

McConnell was referring to a address Obama made last month in which he laid out his vision for reducing the budget deficit by $4 trillion over the next 12 years.

“More than two years have passed since Democrats have produced a budget of their own,” McConnell pointed out.  

House Republicans passed a budget earlier in the year that would cut $5.8 trillion in spending over 10 years and transform Medicare into a kind of voucher system, among other measures, in order to balance the budget by 2040 without raising taxes.

Democrats in the Senate, however, have been unable to reach agreement on a budget of their own, something Republicans have repeatedly ripped them for.

McConnell accused Senate Democrats of neglecting significant items during this work period while eagerly awaiting the next recess, slated to begin Thursday.

“Before the end of this week Democrats in the Senate will have wrapped up their efforts for the current work period and fly home for the Memorial Day recess,” McConnell said. “It's not too early to ask what they've accomplished over the past several weeks. More specifically, what have they done about a looming fiscal crisis?”

“The short answer is, not much,” he said.