AFTER I WENT TO BED LAST NIGHT, Congress struck a budget deal.
Related: Boehner Wins Big.
As Boehner himself repeated throughout this debate, “Republicans control just one-half of one-third of the federal government.” And yet look out the outcome. Perhaps more significant than the $38.5 billion in cuts, which Boehner told members was “the best deal we could get,” are the political implications as both side prepare to tackle the bigger spending issues. “We’ve changed the conversation,” said freshman Rep. Tim Griffin (R., Ark.). “This year we’re talking about how much we’re going to reduce — cut — and that’s a major cultural shift in a matter of months.”
Indeed, Harry’s Reid dramatic shift on spending cuts — from denouncing the initial GOP offer ($32 billion) as “draconian” and “unworkable,” to celebrating a $38.5 billion spending cut as “historic” — is remarkable in and of itself. Also telling was the way that Democrats artificially inflated the amount of cuts being offered. (At least they care enough about the political sensibilities of American voters to lie to them about it).
Heh.
ANOTHER UPDATE: Peter Ingemi: “In terms of the Tea Party Agenda this is an important change; culturally the ‘idea’ of these cuts is huge and it’s just the beginning, particularly when we see so many democrats forced to give lip service to them.” Hypocrisy is the tribute that vice pays to virtue.