Happy Thanksgiving, taxpayers! We hope you have a safe and relaxing holiday with friends and family. In the spirit of the holiday, we look back over the year so far to remember the things we are most thankful for as taxpayers…

Earmark Moratorium: We applaud House Republicans for extending their moratorium on earmarks into the 112th Congress. Because they are the majority, they can exert their will over House Democrats, which means there will be no House-generated earmarks next year. Senate Republicans have also backed an earmark moratorium , although the Democratic leader, Sen. Reid (D-NV) has given them a full-throated defense . Hopefully this will lead to outright reform of the practice of earmarking.

Serious Proposals for Budgetary Reform: The Co-chairs of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform have presented a serious document that makes good on the promise to leave no budgetary stone unturned in their charge to find ways to balance the federal budget. Other meritorious proposals have also emerged. We believe this political moment is one of the best opportunities taxpayers have to put together a legitimate proposal to tackle the deficit and develop a sustainable budget.

Freeze of SBInet: Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano announced a freeze in funding SBInet —the Boeing-led project to beef up border security through a computer-driven network of cameras and sensors. The entire program was ill-conceived, poorly planned and characterized by an outrageous dependence on contractors and lack of oversight. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) noted that DHS did not effectively manage or oversee the program, citing “SBInet’s well-chronicled history of not delivering promised capabilities and benefits on time and within budget.”

Stimulus Transparency Program: The recovery.gov website documenting stimulus spending represents a major step forward in spending transparency. Critics and proponents of the stimulus could track funding by agency, project, or locale. There were flaws with data quality, cross referencing, and getting down to the sub-contractor level, but recovery.gov proves that government can make information about federal spending more transparent – and just as importantly – that the public wants this information.

And some of the things we would like to change in the coming season…

Congressional Action on “Bush Tax Cuts”: You wouldn’t know it from the running dialogue about whether or not to extend all or some of the tax cuts passed in 2001 and 2003 , but they are actually a package of different tax policy changes – literally cradle to grave, from the Child Care Tax Credit to the Estate Tax – not just tax breaks based on income level. In reality, it is a political battle, and the most serious casualty is effective policy. There are reforms in both packages that deserve extension and some that do not. But a serious debate is drowned out by the constant drumbeat of chest pounding from both sides.

Appropriations, Anyone?: More than two months into the fiscal year, not a single one of the dozen spending bills that fund government have passed. And it is becoming increasingly likely that lawmakers are just going to punt the decisions into next year. Though politicians like to decry the inefficiencies of government (and there are many), failing to pass a single spending bill severely handicaps the feds’ ability to function effectively.

Congressional Ethics Oversight on the Chopping Block: It seems the country has forgotten about the ethics scandals that plagued the 109th Congress, even as another Abramoff-related lobbyist was just convicted and former Rep. Duke Cunningham complains about his conviction . One of the reforms borne of these scandals is on the chopping block. The Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) has effectively gone about investigating possible ethics violations. But the OCE must be renewed each Congress, and it’s not looking good.

Federal Energy Loan Guarantee Program:  In the last several years the loan guarantee has become a favorite energy subsidy .  Simply put, we cosign mega loans for those who can’t get a loan on their own.  In the last two years, the program, in a cloud of secrecy, has handed out loan guarantees that could cost taxpayers billions.  The GAO and the Inspector General have been critical of the program, but instead of increased scrutiny, the Administration and lawmakers have been pushing to fast-track more guarantees. 

As we push back from the pumpkin pie, we will have another week or two of the 111th Congress before the end of the year. And in 2011, the 112th Congress opens. We will be here working for taxpayers so we’ll have even more to be thankful for this time next year.

TCS Quote of the Week:

“[The St. Louis flood wall] would be a slam dunk if the process was always about merit. The reason it hadn’t gotten funded is that money was stolen by some other senator for a project that wasn’t as meritorious.”

– Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), discussing effects of the existing earmark process. New York Times