WASHINGTON — An increasing number of House members yielded to Speaker John Boehner’s blunt command to line up Wednesday behind his budget bill even as his staff moved frantically to alter it in an attempt to resolve the looming fiscal crisis. Congressional leaders alternately voiced optimism, determination and a haggard frustration as they struggled to make both the dollars and the votes add up.
OF OBAMA , REID AND THE SPEAKER, ONLY BOEHNER IS SHOWING ANY LEADERSHIP. BOEHNER'S EFFORTS WILL PRODUCE A DEAL, NOT THE EFFORTS OF ANYONE ELSE.

OBAMA HAS BEEN WORSE THAN REID AND EVEN WORSE THAN PELOSI, INSISTING ON HIGHER TAXES AND VOTING PRESENT.

I DON'T LIKE ANY OF THE COMPROMISES, BUT I BELIEVE THAT WE WON'T GET A TRULY GOOD DEAL UNTIL AFTER THE 2012 ELECTION - AFTER WE TOSS OBAMA OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE AND GAIN A MAJORITY IN THE SENATE.

HENNESSEY AGREES:
I support the Boehner bill for the following reasons:
  • It cuts spending and it doesn’t raise taxes. That is an improvement over current law.
  • There is nothing in the bill that I dislike. That’s a rarity.
  • It is better than the Reid bill, which is the next most likely alternative to become law if the Boehner bill fails.
  • It tees up this battle again in 4-6 months, providing another opportunity and keeping the pressure on to cut spending.
  • It creates a process that keeps our underlying fiscal policy problems front-and-center for the foreseeable future rather than punting them into 2013.
  • I can see no viable alternative strategy to enact a stronger bill.

Some conservative Members of Congress are opposing the bill because they think it does not do enough. While $850 B – $1 T of spending cuts is a medium-sized deficit reduction bill relative to historic practice, I agree that it is far from sufficient to solve our underlying budget problems. In that respect it is a step in the right direction, nothing more.

I ESPECIALLY AGREE WITH THESE TWO PARTS:

  • I can see no viable alternative strategy to enact a stronger bill.
  • it is a step in the right direction,
WE ARE CONTROLLING THE DEBATE AND THE DIRECTION OF THE COUNTRY.

IT'S NOW ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE WE CONTROL THE WHITE HOUSE AND THE SENATE.

SO LET US TAKE NOW WHAT WE CAN GET NOW.