With expectations set for small-scale budget deal, Ryan and Murray hold the keys

[TomCADem]

Source: NBC

Budget deficits have fallen for four years in a row, down to nearly pre-recession levels in the last fiscal year. That may mean some pressure is off the House-Senate budget conference which held its second public meeting at the Capitol Wednesday.

The committee is up against a nominal Dec. 13 deadline to agree on a budget plan for the current fiscal year and beyond. But no immediate funding halt or government shutdown would occur on that date if the panel can’t agree on a blueprint. The real deadline is Jan. 15, the date by which a new spending bill must be enacted.

House Budget Committee chairman Rep. Paul Ryan, R- Wisc., said at Wednesday’s meeting that he and Senate Budget Chairman Sen. Patty Murray have been conferring with each other privately since the budget conference committee’s last public meeting, but “we’re not there yet” on clinching a deal.

Murray confirmed this: “We have had a number of discussions since our last (public) meeting regarding the parameters of a potential deal and I’ve been very encouraged by those conversations. They are going to continue.”


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[lark]

1. Hold the line - Senator Murray

Try to actually improve the country, not just find any old compromise posssible with the economic terrorist. Protect our hard paid Medicare and Social Security, don't give in to increasing the defense spending. If you have to make changes to social security -raise the cap don't cut the benefits. Cut out or reduce the give-aways to big oil and the companies that move jobs over-seas - that would save us a ton of money and increase jobs here - win/win.

If Dems cut social security or Medicare - it will be the death of the party. Don't fall for the Repug tactic, they will use it to campaign against you and you will lose all the votes of the elderly and nearly elderly and disabled folks. The long term fallout from this would be far far worse than no budget deal at all.