Two Big Picture Books on Fiscal Policy A two-week congressional recess affords us the opportunity to take a big picture look at some big fiscal policy problems. And two recently published big picture books reviewed yesterday in the Washington Post and the New York Times seek to sharpen the focus on different aspects of that picture, though apparently with differing degrees of success. "Where Does the Money Go?: Your Guided Tour to the Federal Budget Crisis" by Scott Bittle and Jean Johnson (Collins, $16.95 in paperback) draws a rave from the Times (A Proposed Diet for the U.S. Budget):

Budget Resolution -- The Final Lap

• House: The House adopted its budget resolution by 212-207 after rejecting the GOP substitute amendment by a vote of 157-263, which 38 Republican members opposed -- it sought to reduce mandatory spending by $412.4 billion over five years. The Progressive Caucus budget lost 98-322; the Black Caucus bill was rejected 126-292.
• Senate: After 15 hours of vote-a-rama, the Senate passed its own resolution,

OMBW Background Brief Today, OMB Watch released a timely background brief on earmarks and the federal earmarking process -- an issue hotly debated in the print and electronic media and on the House and Senate floor over the last several weeks. The brief clarifies the definition of an earmark, demystifies the process by which earmarking occurs, and shows why an outright ban on earmarks in appropriations bills won't reduce federal spending. The skinny:

Budget Resolution -- Votes on Amendments and Substitutes:

• Senate: Voting is expected all day -- and night -- on amendments, concluding with a rapid-fire vote-a-rama. As of last night, these were the pending amendments.
• House: Voting is also expected, but on a smaller number of amendments and the following substitutes offered by the GOP, the Progressive Caucus, and the Congressional Black Caucus.

Final votes in each chamber on their respective budget resolutions are expected on Friday