MORNING MESSAGE: 2014 - The Democrats’ Dilemma
OurFuture.org's Robert Borosage: "Voters tend to blame the party in power – the president’s party – for the economy. And the 2014 economy is likely to be lousy. Americans are struggling with falling wages and growing insecurity. More than 20 million people are still in need of full-time work ... The political debate still focuses on fixing the debt, not the economy. Voters are offered a choice between Republicans who want to slash spending and Democrats who want a 'balanced' plan of spending cuts and tax hikes. Neither party champions a strategy to make this economy work for working people again ... relying on Republican extremism is a hope and a prayer. If Democrats have a shot in 2014, they need a plan."
House Poised To Pass Radical Austerity Budget
House GOP expected to pass Ryan budget today. The Hill: "...only three Republicans had publicly said they intend to vote against the Ryan plan ... House Republicans can only afford about 15 defections ... In the lead-up to the vote on Ryan’s budget, the House defeated several alternative budget proposals, including from the Congressional Black Caucus, the Progressive Caucus and the Senate Democratic Caucus."
Ryan's obsession with austerity causing rifts within GOP, reports W. Post: "[Gov. Bobby] Jindal, his advisers argue, is not saying that Ryan’s plan to limit federal spending is a bad thing — rather that the focus needs to be first and foremost on how Republicans can grow the economy rather than shrink the government. Jindal isn’t the only conservative voice raising questions about the philosophical underpinnings of the Ryan budget..."
Despite GOP claims, government spending is not crowding out private investment. McClatchy: "'You would expect that if there were "crowding out," that the government borrowing is somehow competing with private-sector borrowing, you’d expect that to show up in interest rates, and it is not. They’re at rock bottom,' said Nariman Behravesh, chief economist for forecaster IHS Global Insight."
Senate passes bill to keep government open, with sequester cuts. CNN: "The measure, which passed the chamber in a 73-26 vote, now advances to the House of Representatives ... Lawmakers want to get the bill, known as a continuing resolution, to President Barack Obama's desk before leaving Washington for a two-week holiday break starting on Friday."
Senate "vote-a-rama" on budget amendments may begin tomorrow. Roll Call: "The first vote-a-rama on a Senate budget resolution in four years offers each party a chance to force the other to cast politically treacherous votes ... Depending on the number of amendments offered, it could linger into Saturday. Reid has threatened to keep the Senate in session until the budget is finished, a gambit intended to spur senators to limit their amendments so they can more quickly begin a two-week recess scheduled to start next week."
"GOP Conservatives Crave Debt Ceiling Standoff With Obama" reports TPM: "During a discussion with reporters Wednesday, a panel of 10 House conservatives openly craved another debt ceiling standoff with President Obama ... Among the potential demands they mentioned were dollar for dollar cuts, rolling back Obamacare and major entitlement reforms."
House Conservatives Join Thaw On Immigration
House conservatives warming to citizenship path for undocumented. CNN: "Idaho Rep Raul Labrador told reporters 'What I think should happen is anyone who is here illegally can come out of the shadows, become legalized in some way, have some legal status, and that status could lead to legal permanent residency and citizenship eventually' ... Labrador's remarks are a shift from comments he made in early February ... he's urging GOP colleagues to shift the emphasis to other major components of immigration reform."
Sen. Pat Leahy criticizes pace of negotiations. NYT: "'For months I have urged the president to send his proposal for comprehensive immigration reform to the Senate,' Mr. Leahy said. 'I understand he has delayed releasing it at the request of a few senators who are engaged in secret, closed-door discussions on their own proposal and who committed to completing it by the beginning of March. That deadline and others have come and gone.' Mr. Leahy went on to express disappointment that his committee will have no immigration overhaul to consider this month."
