The Budget Battle Favors the GOP

[Geee]

National Review:

For a Republican party still reeling from November’s defeat and hoping to regain some confidence, the upcoming midterm cycle looks especially promising, and many are optimistic that the ongoing budget debate has the potential to drive electoral gains in 2014.

This week, the Republican House and Democratic Senate are expected to pass competing budget proposals. Both sides will claim to have endorsed “balanced” plans — Republicans because their budget reaches balance in ten years, Democrats because theirs raises taxes by $1 trillion.

Republicans already know what to expect. Democrats have spent nearly two years on the offensive against Paul Ryan’s “extreme” budgets, yet House Republicans have maintained their majority while honing their defenses. The National Republican Congressional Committee has been quietly polling competitive districts, where balancing the federal budget is very appealing, even among Democrats.

[Valin]

National Review:

For a Republican party still reeling from November’s defeat and hoping to regain some confidence, the upcoming midterm cycle looks especially promising, and many are optimistic that the ongoing budget debate has the potential to drive electoral gains in 2014.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dems ready to slam GOP on Ryan budget

Mike Lillis

03/20/13

 

House Democrats intensified their efforts Tuesday to turn the House Republican budget into a weapon against the GOP.

 

In a series of press conferences, floor speeches, YouTube videos and cable news interviews, the Democrats said the Republicans’ budget plan, unveiled last week by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), would hurt the poor, women and minorities — all demographics that propelled President Obama back into the White House and helped his party pick up seats in both congressional chambers last year.

 

(Snip)

 

[clearvision]

There are so many competing budgets out there right now. Too many stories with different R and D numbers. Everything is muddled in a sea of numbers.

 

Not that it will really matter in the least.

[Valin]

There are so many competing budgets out there right now. Too many stories with different R and D numbers. Everything is muddled in a sea of numbers.

 

Not that it will really matter in the least.

 

Oh I disagree, it does matter. "Let a hundred flowers bloom." Mao Zedong

The best (most politically doable) of each plan will come to the top. Meam while the Democrats will not be able to concentrate their fire on any one plan. This provides those evil Republicans the chance to hammer the Dems on their lack of a budget for 4 years.

 

[Valin]

RSC Budget Defeated, Ryan Budget Vote on Thursday

Andrew Stiles

3/20/13

 

Earlier on Wednesday, the House held a series of votes on various budget proposals, but a final vote on the Ryan budget won’t occur until Thursday.

 

A quick recap:

 

The Republican Study Committee budget, which would achieve balance in four years and proposed more aggressive entitlement reforms than the Ryan plan, was defeated, with 104 ayes and 132 nays. The reason for the odd vote count: 171 Democrats voted “present.” It was a canny attempt by Democrats to force the GOP to adopt the conservative proposal, which ultimately forced more Republicans to vote no than might have otherwise.

 

The Senate Democratic proposal, which was offered by Republicans, failed 154 to 261, with a significant number of Democrats — 35, or about one-sixth of the caucus — voting no, despite party leadership’s efforts to encourage support.

 

(Snip)