MARCH 2, 2009
Republicans Concede Budget Is Hard to Block
By BRODY MULLINS and GREG HITT
WASHINGTON -- Republican congressional leaders ramped up criticism of President Barack Obama's budget proposal, even as they conceded that they likely won't be able to block it.
Congressional Republicans on Sunday morning talk shows described Mr. Obama's $3.6 trillion budget proposal for fiscal year 2010 as a return to an era of big government, with huge increases in taxes and spending.
"It's almost as if we are relocating the headquarters of the economy [from Main Street] to Washington, D.C.," said Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, the top Republican on the House Budget Committee, on "Fox News Sunday." But, he added, "You can't stop this in the House, and it's going to be very difficult to stop in the Senate."
From passing health reform to increasing funding for stem cell research, President Obama is pushing for sweeping change, but it's up to Congress to make it happen. WSJ's Naftali Bendavid discusses the challenges facing both Democratic and Republican legislators.
Radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh said at a weekend conference for conservatives that Mr. Obama stands for "rampant government growth."
Mr. Obama's budget blueprint, unveiled Thursday, calls for tax increases for wealthy Americans, increased taxes on Wall Street and oil companies and an expansion of health care and other social services.
The criticism of the budget is part of broader debate in Washington over fiscal policy, which began with Mr. Obama's recently approved $787 billion economic-stimulus package. Mr. Obama and his Democratic allies see the budget as an opportunity to make good on campaign promises, including widening access to health care and investing in green technologies and jobs.
Republicans want to use the debate over the budget and wider fiscal policy to reclaim the party's role as protector of taxpayer dollars.
The Democrats are expected to begin moving the budget through Congress this month with hopes of winning approval by early April. Congressional Republicans say it's unlikely that they would be able to block the budget because they don't have enough votes.
Congress follows special rules for approving the annual budget that make it hard for the minority party to block it. Senate rules requiring 60 votes to end debate are suspended. That requirement had made three Republican senators' support for the stimulus bill crucial, even though Democrats enjoy large majorities in the House and Senate.
Mr. Obama in his weekly radio address Saturday framed the budget debate as a fight against special interests. "I know they're gearing up for a fight as we speak," he said. "My message to them is this: So am I."
