The Democrats' budget 'defeat': Can they bounce back?
The Left agrees to GOP spending cuts to temporarily avert a government shutdown. Will they fare any better in the showdown over a long-term deal?
The Senate on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved a stopgap measure to avoid a government shutdown, which was widely seen as Democrats "conceding defeat." Republicans won $4 billion in spending cuts in the deal to keep the government funded until March 18, although the trimming came from programs President Obama had already said were unnecessary. Democrats vow they'll rebound for the "real battle" over the budget for the remaining seven months of the fiscal year. But after this setback, can Democrats regroup? (See Democrats push for compromise)
They can recover... with Obama's help: Don't count out the Democrats, says Ezra Klein at The Washington Post. As soon as this "two-week reprieve" was passed, President Obama got into the game by inviting leaders to "hammer out a deal" at the White House. This is the same kind of last-minute power play Obama used when the Bush tax cuts were about to expire last year, and "despite the skepticism of people like, well, me, it worked."
"Wonkbook: The White House gets off the bench"
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The stage is set for yet another Democratic defeat: It looks like Republicans will be getting the enormous budget cuts they want after all, says David Dayen at Firedoglake. Democrats couldn't drive a "wedge" into the House GOP — not even with an amendment forcing them to "go on the record in support of Big Oil subsidies." So we're heading into a showdown between Democrats who are "struggling" to unify their caucus, and Republicans who already have. "Figure out the winner."
"Senate Dems 'scrambling to unify' after budget loss"
Republicans still need deep cuts for a real victory: The "center of gravity has shifted" in the GOP's favor, says Jennifer Rubin at The Washington Post. The question is "how strenuously the White House will defend its domestic programs," and how much Republicans can chop out of the larger budget. Of course, this is all a warm-up for the fight over entitlement reform, "which as we all know, is where the real money is."
"It's a landslide: Senate passes $4 billion in cuts"
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Trump, billions richer, is selling Bibles
Speed Read The former president is hawking a $60 "God Bless the USA Bible"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The debate about Biden's age and mental fitness
In Depth Some critics argue Biden is too old to run again. Does the argument have merit?
By Grayson Quay Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
Henry Kissinger dies aged 100: a complicated legacy?
Talking Point Top US diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner remembered as both foreign policy genius and war criminal
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Last updated
-
Trump’s rhetoric: a shift to 'straight-up Nazi talk'
Why everyone's talking about Would-be president's sinister language is backed by an incendiary policy agenda, say commentators
By The Week UK Published
-
More covfefe: is the world ready for a second Donald Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question Republican's re-election would be a 'nightmare' scenario for Europe, Ukraine and the West
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Xi-Biden meeting: what's in it for both leaders?
Today's Big Question Two superpowers seek to stabilise relations amid global turmoil but core issues of security, trade and Taiwan remain
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published