Today in Washington D. C. - April 6, 2009

While President Obama globe trots (today in Turkey and facing protests), many Senators and Representatives have returned home. Congress will reconvene on April 20th. Washington D.C. is experiencing some relative peace with their absences. After weeks of wrangling over the $3.55 trillion budget, many members are back in their states either avoiding their constituents or discuss the budget and its consequences for future generations. On April 15, many of them have the opportunity to either avoid, observe or to join in a TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Party in their local area. It is doubtful, that any Democrats who voted for the budget plan to appear.

There are a couple good stories looking back at lessons learned. Yesterday, The Washington Post returned to the subject of gimmickry in the House and Senate budgets that make them look only slightly less debt-ridden than the original Obama proposal. “The president's original framework, even relying on some budgetary sleights of hand, added $9 trillion to the debt over 10 years. Rather than change policy to brighten the fiscal picture, the House and Senate chose to add more gimmicks and dishonesty. They jettisoned the $250 billion placeholder the administration responsibly included to provide the banking system with more capital, and they skimped (in the House version) and outright ignored (in the Senate's) the White House plan to better prepare for budget emergencies and natural disasters. They also assume that the president's Making Work Pay tax credit will expire after 2010 (House) or 2012 (Senate).” The Post also notes that the Congressional budgets assume the return of the alternative minimum tax, all to try to mask the fact that the Democrats’ budget plans double the debt in five years and nearly triple it in ten.

Today, The Post discusses the attempt by the successor to the Obama campaign, Organizing for America, to engage activists around the country to pressure Congress to pass the Obama budget. However, The Post finds that “in its first big test, the group dubbed Organizing for America (OFA) had little obvious impact on the debate over President Obama's budget . . . . The capstone of the campaign was the delivery of 214,000 signatures to Capitol Hill, which swayed few, if any, members of Congress, according to legislative aides from both parties.” And “Kristen Hawn, a press aide to Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-La.) who acts as a spokeswoman for the Blue Dogs, said the OFA campaign had little impact on lawmakers' decisions on how to vote.”

Both of these issues, Democrats’ desire to hide the costs of their spending and the use of the former Obama campaign to pressure Congress, are worth keeping an eye on in the legislative battles coming later this year on things like health care and energy policy (cap-in-trade).
Note Also these Articles of Interest:
- The Examiner: Banana republic budgeting should shame Obama, Congress
- The Examiner: Hill Dems likely face intraparty battles after recess
- Jennifer Rubin: Scrutinizing Holder’s Actions on Guantanamo — And Beyond

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