GOP Lawmakers At Odds Over Strategies For Spending Cuts, Broader Party Message
Los Angeles Times: As House Returns, GOP Strategies Reflect Soul-Searching
Republicans have little interest in Obama's desire to find more tax revenue to control deficits, and pledge they will fight for deeper spending cuts. Their promise of a 10-year balanced budget … is an ambitious undertaking. Even the budget from Rep. Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), with its overhaul of Medicare and other safety net programs, did not balance for almost 20 years. While many Republicans … are primed for this fight as they aim to slash spending to balance budgets, others would like to broaden the party's message. Obama is set to address Democrats in both the House and Senate at their private caucus retreats this week as they consider ways to extract more revenue by closing loopholes. The White House has given little insight into why the president again missed the February deadline for presenting his budget, and Press Secretary Jay Carney declined Monday to say when the blueprint would be ready (Mascaro, 2/4).