I know and admire Diane Lim Rogers.  She's a friend, colleague, and frequent co- conspirator when it comes to budget.  But Brad DeLong has her number with this post: No Diane, having any budget commission is not necessarily better than not having one.

I truly wish this wasn't the case.  But when, as Brad points out, a commission is really just an excuse to do less now and a subterfuge for what's really happening, I don't see the value.  Given all the failed budget commissions and summits of the past and the fact that the moon and stars don't seem to be in proper alignment for one to succeed now, I'd much rather have members of Congress take their lumps at the next election for not using the power they already have to deal with the deficit than to promise for no apparent reason that somehow a commission is going to be different this time.

Over at economistmom.com, Diane Rogers, does her usual good job reviewing the current bidding on PAYGO.  One of her conclusions is a reverse NIKE, that is, when it comes to tax cuts and spending increases, the best way to pay for them is to just not do it.

This is a good summary of the hearing held last Thursday by the House Budget Committee on PAYGO and, like almost everything Diane does, is well worth the few minutes it will take to read.  If you want to read the testimony itself, take a look here.

At least, that what Diane Rogers over at EconomistMom.com said.

It's always nice to think that someone, anyone, is reading and listening.  As Andrew and Pete will tell you...you never really know.

Over at economistsmom.com, Diane Rogers does a nice job compiling some of Bruce Bartlett's recent columns.  Worth a few minutes of your time.

Note to myself (and everyone else): Don't let a few days go by without looking at economistmom.com.  If you do, you might miss this gem about the curret budget debate.

I used to write a weekly column for NationalJournal.com called "Budget Battles."  My editor and publisher there was Troy Schneider, who 11 years later was one of the founders of Capital Gains and Games.

That's also where I started giving away T-shirts (Other giveaways included mouse pads and coffee mugs.  In fact, I'm using one of those mugs now at this ridiculously early time of the morning.)

Anyway, back to the T-shirts.

Most weeks you won a shirt if you submitted the correct response to a very obscure budget question and had your name selected at random from all those who got it right. 

Economistmom has been taking on House Appropriations Committee Chairman Dave Obey (D-WI) over several things he said about deficit hawks and budgeteers in an August 2 National Journal interview.  The interview is good reading.

(Full disclosure: I used to write for nj.com and Troy Schneider, one of the other founders of CG&G, was one of NJ.com's founders and my editor.)

A little history might be helpful here.  Obey may be saying it more bluntly but he's not saying anything new: Appropriators have never really liked the budget committees, congressional budget process, or Congressional Budget Act. 

In a very short time, Diane Rogers, the economist mom herself, has become one of my must reads every day. Take a look at this and you'll understand why. 

Diane Lim Rogers, a long-time budget watcher in Washington, D.C. with one of the best fiscal backgrounds in town, is launching her own blog tomorrow called EconomistMom. It is launching, appropriately enough, on Mother's Day.

And not a moment too soon. As the chief economist at the House Budget Committee, Diane couldn't participate in the debate as personally as we needed her to do. Now, as the chief economist at The Concord Coalition and someone with her own blog, she'll be able to added another rational voice to a discussion that needs as many as possible.