Sebelius Leaves On Top
After 7.5M Obamacare sign ups, HHS Sec Sebelius to bow out. W. Post: "During the firestorm, Obama made clear to his aides that he would not seek the resignation of his health secretary, and her departure is timed to brighter news for the White House as enrollment soared late last month. Still, some White House allies said Thursday night that the troubled launch of HealthCare.gov had heightened tensions between Sebelius and the president’s staff members..."
"The Sebelius Legacy: One Epic Tech Failure, Millions of Newly Insured Americans" writes TNR's Jonathan Cohn: "The memories of Obamacare’s difficult start will certainly linger. But to the millions of people around the country who now have access to affordable medical care, I’m not sure that really matters."
"Kathleen Sebelius’ Biggest Achievement Is The One No One Is Talking About" says ThinkProgress' Igor Volsky: "Sebelius leaves the office having enrolled some 10 million people in health care coverage. This was only possible because she convinced numerous Republican lawmakers in bright red states to extended health care coverage to the poorest Americans ... Sebelius traveled the country, urging Republican governors to reconsider. As of today, eight GOP-controlled states have approved expansion — in no small part because of the flexibility Sebelius and her team provided."
Challenges await incoming secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell. Bloomberg: "Twenty-four states haven’t agreed to an expansion of Medicaid, which was a key part of providing coverage to the uninsured. The federal government runs insurance marketplaces in 36 states, more than the Obama administration anticipated, after most declined to take on that responsibility. Republicans in Congress have resisted providing billions of dollars Obama has requested to build and run the insurance exchanges."
Republicans (Mostly) Hug Ryan Budget
House GOP passes Ryan budget, but vulnerable Republicans back away. The Hill: "A dozen Republicans voted against Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-Wis.) budget on Thursday, including many facing tough elections this year ... 'no' votes include Republicans facing primaries who voted against the bill from the right and others in swing districts who may have opposed it from the left ..."
Leaders had to whip harder than before. Politico: "...over the weekend and early this week, things turned, and a few votes began dropping off the board. Up until Thursday — the day the bill passed — House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and the GOP leadership team methodically worked the rank and file ... But for McCarthy — who herded 219 yes votes in the middle of this election year — passing a budget is the 'core of who we are.'"
Ryan will have to choose what's next: House Ways & Means Chair or run for president. W. Post: "There is no official prohibition on being a chairman and running for president, but some consider the committee — with its jurisdiction over tax and entitlement policy — so important that they would want more than a caretaker atop the panel."
More State Progress On Minimum Wage
MN fifth state this year to heed Obama, increase minimum wage. NYT: "...legislators decided to increase the wage to $9.50 an hour from $6.15 by 2016 for large employers ... It raises wages in a gradual way over two years, and would allow increases for inflation after that."
National Republican lack incentive to hike minimum. NYT's John Harwood: "Republicans see more to lose among conservative core supporters and business donors with a wage increase than there might be to gain among swing voters who may not show up at the polls. Midterm election turnout is sure to be much lower than in a presidential year."
Meanwhile, Dems seek to boost African-American turnout in key states for November. Roll Call's Stu Rothenberg: "Democratic strategists believe there is low-hanging fruit in the black populations in Arkansas and Louisiana, where Democrats are defending seats, because those states never saw a well-financed and organized get-out-the-vote effort from President Barack Obama’s campaign ... The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is set to spend $60 million on 4,000 staff in top states [including] Georgia, and potentially Michigan and North Carolina ... they are likely to try to rally those potential voters around the president and his legislative agenda, including issues of equality and fairness, such as a minimum wage increase..."
Taxes Are Up. Good.
Tax revenues are soaring. NYT: "The budget gap last month was the smallest deficit recorded for the month of March since 2000, when economic growth was running at a much faster pace than it is today. The red ink had been expected to ease this year. But Thursday’s announcement underscored just how quickly tax receipts have been increasing as economic growth speeds up and the stock market surges ... While some of the increase was a result of tax increases that took effect at the beginning of 2013, budget experts said it also reflected who was benefiting the most in the current recovery."
And it's not hurting the economy. Bloomberg: "The bill for President Barack Obama’s 2013 tax increases comes due April 15, and the first boost in marginal income rates in 20 years is already reducing the U.S. budget deficit without tipping the economy into recession ... Even congressional Republicans, who warned that the tax increases would destroy jobs, aren’t making a serious push to repeal them."
