The headlines today indicate that Congressional Democrats caved to the president’s position on spending for 2008. The Washington Post says ‘Democrats Bow to Bush’s Demands.’ The Hill reads ‘Dems Cave on Spending.’ And the headline from the Los Angeles Times declares ‘Democrats Bow to Bush Spending Limit.’ But according to the conservative members of the House Republican Study Committee, that’s not quite true:
As the Club for Growth points out, the total spending level the Democrats are calling for is quite close to their initial proposal at the start of the process. Will the White House call the Democrats on this? Roll Call provides additional detail:
The Democratic leadership plan is convoluted. It calls for the House to approve a spending bill with no funding for Iraq, and which is well over the agreed-upon level of overall spending. Many Republicans will vote against the bill, which would be passed with Democratic support. Next, the Senate will pass the same bill–after approving an additional $70 billion of the president’s $200 billion request for the war on terror. That Senate product must subsequently pass the House again. But dozens of anti-war Democrats in the House will oppose the Senate version because of the additional funding provided for the war on terror. House Republicans who seek full funding for the war on terror and who oppose the added spending would seem to have little incentive to vote for this flawed compromise. Can Democratic leaders cobble together a majority to pass the bill? If they do, will the president sign it? Republican Study Committee spokesman Brad Dayspring sums the situation up this way:
It seems Democrats may find themselves heading back to the drawing board.
