I suppose I'll be writing about the FY 2011 spending deal later. There's also Paul Ryan's budget -- it sure looks as if most House Republicans are going to wind up voting in favor of something that could be (fairly) called "slashing Medicare" in campaign ads.
Meanwhile, Libya and the Middle East, recovery in Japan...what else? What do you think mattered this week?
I think that over the weekend, what didn't happen mattered a lot more than what did.
ReplyDeleteI thought that Obama effectively boasting about the spending cuts in the budget deal was bizarre and wonder what it signals about his future budget postures. Also, I wonder what's behind his claim that the deal preserved the "investments" he's been highlighting since the SOTU. Presumably we'll find out a lot more about what's in the budget in days to come.
ReplyDeleteASP,
ReplyDeleteI agree, and I think the news that he's going to put out a plan for long-term budget cuts is very troubling; if he puts out a Ryan-lite plan, it's a huge mistake for him.
Unless it was part of the deal that neither side (at the leadership level) would criticize parts of the deal, I can't think of any advantage for Obama to formulate it the way that he did. I can sort of see a desire not to admit losing on anything, but he still could have just said that it's a win because it keeps the gov't going and preserves his highest priorities.