The stakes couldn't be higher—if Speaker John Boehner can actually muster the Republican votes to pass their own budget plan, the Senate is also likely to be able to pass the plan with a simple majority since budgets are one area where Senate rules will allow Republicans to avoid a Democratic filibuster.
If passed, the budget wouldn't be "binding," but rather it would serve as a blueprint for how Congress will shape its future spending bills. Obama would likely veto the bill. But broad agreement between the House and Senate could open a way forward for Republicans to coalesce around a series of spending resolutions that put Democrats and President Obama between a rock and hard place in budget showdown after budget showdown.
But that's a big if. Boehner's troops are already displeased with the outlines of the budget that aims to cut $5.5 trillion in spending over a decade and balance the budget in nine years. Ginger Gibson has the details on Boehner's upcoming battle:
Warhawks are likely to be unhappy the budget doesn't increase the Pentagon’s spending levels enough and essentially generates a slush fund for the Defense Department to get around existing spending limits. Far-right conservatives -- who seem to always find something to be unhappy about -- could find the bill doesn’t cut enough entitlement programs or takes too long to get balanced. And moderates have started making noise that some cuts could be too deep, even impossible to live with.
Let's remember that Boehner has already suffered two epic legislative fails: first, on the abortion ban bill that Republicans were super "united" around until they had to pull it from the floor altogether; and second, on the Homeland Security funding bill with the anti-immigrant riders that they simply couldn't find a path forward on. Boehner ended up having to rely on Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and her troops to do the reasonable thing—fund Homeland Security through end of the fiscal year without the anti-immigrant riders.
But Boehner won't have that luxury with this budget plan—which cuts the food stamp and Medicaid programs, partially privatizes Medicare and repeals Obamacare.
Head below the fold for more on this story.
Obama certainly doesn't like the look of it.
In brief comments Tuesday at the White House, Obama said the House GOP plan fails to invest in education, infrastructure, research and national security, and promised a "robust debate" over how taxpayer dollars should be spent ...
"It's not a budget that reflects the future. It's not a budget that reflects growth," Obama said during a St. Patrick's Day appearance with Ireland's prime minister.
GOP groups are already
bracing for the battle within their own caucus. The group American Action Network has placed a $500,000 ad buy on Fox News over the next ten days to stave off conservative criticism of the plan and smooth its way to passage. The ad's main points: the plan balances the budget and repeals Obamacare. What else could possibly matter?