It looks like the more conservative members of the Democratic caucus are going to push the President to do more than just freeze discretionary spending. That move would save $250 billion over the next decade. A large number, but really just a drop in the bucket in terms of the deficit. (For an earlier post detailing our deficit woes click here.)
From The Hill:
Blue Dog Democrats want Congress to go further than President Barack Obama’s proposal to freeze spending in next year’s budget.
The group of House centrists will soon introduce a bill capping discretionary spending at specific levels. The move would challenge their leadership and the president, who are balancing concerns with the nearly $1.6 trillion deficit in 2010 with those who say government spending on job creation is the way out of the recession.
Of course the Blue Dog Democrats have some extra motivation to push the President into the center. 2010 is going to be very challenging for Democrats who represent more conservative districts. Ironically this could have the effect of shrinking the party and making it more dogmatically liberal at the same time, which is basically what happened to Republicans last cycle. The very centering influence a party needs tends to get voted out of office right when they are needed most.
*picture credit Bearman Cartoons
2 comments:
"The very centering influence a party needs tends to get voted out of office right when they are needed most" Yep, wonder why?
I saw a book titled "There's nothing in the middle of the road but yellow stripes and dead armadillos" and thought of you, Steve.
We don't need to move to the center!!!
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