Moderate Senate Democrats who voted to repeal a provision of President Barack Obama’s signature health care law say they are open to working with Republicans on more changes — but only if those changes are meant to improve, rather than dismantle, the measure. OPINION By Norman Ornstein
I am CR’ed and budgeted out, but it is hard to imagine writing about anything else in a week when the next showdown-that-could-lead-to-a-shutdown is coming to a head, when House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) unveiled his long-term budget vision/road map/blueprint, and when the Treasury Department laid out the dates for the debt limit to be reached. AROUND THE HILL Members are known for their quickie autobiographies and ghostwritten campaign books. But novels? That’s a different story. POLITICS Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) will take the helm of the Democratic National Committee as its next chairwoman, marking the first time a current Member will hold the post in more than a decade. The Senate on Tuesday essentially defeated an amendment by Sen. Rand Paul designed to imply that President Barack Obama contradicted himself when he ordered military operations in Libya without Congress’ consent. President Barack Obama called on Republican and Democratic Congressional leaders on Tuesday to “act like grown-ups” and put aside their differences on a six-month spending bill. AT THE RACES Reality show star Donald Trump actually finished second among likely New Hampshire presidential primary voters to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who led with 27 percent compared with Trump’s 21 percent. AT THE RACES Women’s group EMILY’s List is expected to release its top political targets later Tuesday, which include five House Republicans believed to be vulnerable to female challengers in 2012. | Photo of the Day | April 5, 2011 Reporters question Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (center) on April 5 as he makes his way to the Senate Democratic luncheon in the Capitol. House Republicans released their budget proposal for fiscal 2012 that day, and Baucus blasted its cuts to Medicare benefits.Launch Slideshow March Madness in the House House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan’s budget blueprint released Tuesday cuts $6.2 trillion in spending and $1.8 trillion in taxes relative to President Barack Obama’s 10-year plan, but it would still add more than $8 trillion to the national debt over the next decade — reaching $23 trillion in 2021. POLITICS Two candidates are preparing to launch campaigns for New Mexico’s 1st district, and Democratic Rep. Martin Heinrich’s announcement that he’ll run for the open Senate seat is likely to lure several more to bid for his marginal district. One week into a hunger strike, activists opposing budget cuts proposed by House Republicans said Monday that they made their first breakthrough on Capitol Hill, meeting with Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to discuss their efforts. POLITICS The chatter among Arizona Republican insiders is that state Senate President Russell Pearce will not run in the open 6th district next year, giving a boost to the party’s other likely contenders in the GOP-leaning district. POLITICS By the end of this month, five of the six commissioners’ terms at the Federal Election Commission will have expired, providing President Barack Obama the opportunity to profoundly change the leadership at the federal agency that administers and enforces the nation’s campaign finance laws. |