After the first quarter, the score is Republicans 10, Democrats 7

Fox’s Carl Cameron says that if you go by the numbers being fought over in the shutdown showdown, determining a winner is easy.

Over the next decade the cuts are expected to save hundreds of billions of dollars.

The deal mandates a host of studies and audits of Obama administration policies. It also blocks additional funds for the IRS sought by the Obama administration and bans federal funding of abortion in Washington, D.C.

The history of offers on this bill goes something like this. Democrats first offered no cuts, then $4 billion, then $6.5 billion, then $33 billion, then settled at $38.5 billion.

Boehner made numerous adjustments to his offer in recent days too, but started at $32 billion, then with a Tea Party push went to $62 billion, then dropped to $40 billion, then $38.5 billion.

Democrats claimed they met Republicans halfway after the $10 billion in cuts that already passed this year were approved. They settled late Friday night at three and a half times more.

I think that’s about right. To put Friday’s deal in sports terms, the Republicans slogged the ball down the field, got a little bogged down and settled for a field goal. While not decisive, it gives them the lead and a little momentum. But there’s a whole lot of game left to be played.