White House spokesman Jay Carney isn’t interested in whether or not the Senate passes a budget.

President Obama will not call for Senate Democrats to pass a budget in exchange for a debt ceiling hike, his spokesman said while refusing to say if a budget is important to managing the nation’s financial affairs.

“Congress — the Senate, the House — should act to raise the debt ceiling,” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said today during the press briefing. “This is not a negotiation the White House is going to have.”

Asked if the budget — which has not been passed in over three years — “is more important than ever,” Carney replied, “That’s a question for the Senate.”

Carney was responding to a report from The Washington Examiner’s Byron York that Senate Republicans are moving to demand a budget. (Read More)

Why would anyone in the White House care that the Senate hasn’t passed a budget in almost four years? It’s not like they’ve cared before. Have you even heard President Obama mention the Senate’s failure to pass a budget year after year? He likes it, because they keep passing continuing resolutions so spending remains high and nobody has to answer for it.

Update: Linked by Expose the Media – thanks!