As Congress scrambles to pass a last-minute budget deal, let's take a look at a few things they probably won't be bragging about.
Earlier this week, congressional leaders struck a deal to avert another government shutdown and put off our next completely avoidable, 100% self-imposed budget crisis until next September. The deal has the backing of the White House, passed the House of Representatives on Thursday night, and appears to be well on its way to becoming law.
There's just one problem: The bill is absolutely packed with riders that have nothing to do with the budget and everything to do with paying back special interests and opening more channels for political money to flow directly to the two major political parties.
Since this 1,600-page bill was released on Tuesday night and I'm not a sorcerer, I can't list every single one of those things just yet. But I can highlight the five most awful ones I've come across so far.
It's all mapped out in this video, and again in the transcript below in case you prefer you budget analysis in article form and/or don't want to get busted watching YouTube videos at work. (Just click "show transcript.")
Original video and article by yours truly for Represent.Us and The Bulletin. Don't forget to Like Represent.Us on Facebook and subscribe on YouTube for more tales of money, politics, and corruption. If you'd like to get involved in a campaign to make the shenanigans from this video illegal, head on over to volunteer.represent.us and fill out the 30-second form. Thumbnail image via Wikimedia Commons.
DISCLOSURE: In addition to my job as a contributing curator for Upworthy, I also work for Represent.Us — a nonprofit anti-corruption organization. This video was originally created for Represent.Us and has been independently fact-checked by Upworthy's editorial staff.
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