Updated: 3:00 p.m. ET
As both parties forge forward with work on two separate - and deeply distinct - budget proposals, President Obama is back on Capitol Hill today in an ongoing effort to smooth over any ruffled feathers that might be blocking the way toward a "balanced" bipartisan budget deal.
Mr. Obama, who spent yesterday afternoon in House Republican territory, stopped in today on both Senate Republicans and House Democrats, presumably in pursuit of the kind of goodwill that could help him facilitate a budget deal that will be palatable to Democrats.
"He impresses everybody with his knowledge of the issues," Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., told reporters today, in advance of the president's appearance, when asked about the nature of the closed-door meetings. He predicted that, after today's assembly, the "vast, vast majority" of Senate Republicans would say, "he's a very nice man and he's extremely smart."
Smart and nice or not, Mr. Obama has a long way to go before there's any hope of getting Republicans on board with his own vision for a budget: Even as he pops in for luncheons and rap sessions with various lawmakers on Capitol Hill, Congress members on both sides of the aisle are working up very different, at times diametrically opposed blueprints for funding the government.
The House GOP proposal would balance the federal budget in 10 years by restricting future annual increases in spending to a maximum of 3.4 percent, down from the current 4.9 percent, overhaul Medicare and implement widespread non-defense discretionary cuts. Democrats, meanwhile, introduced a plan that would net almost an additional $1 trillion in revenue, secured by closing tax loopholes that primarily benefit wealthier Americans and corporations, while levying targeted spending cuts in roughly the same amount.
Neither party sees much to write home about in the rival team's plan: In remarks on the Senate floor this morning, Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., argued the Democrat-sponsored bill would "do more to harm the economy than to help it, and it will let Medicare and Social Security drift closer to bankruptcy."
"And then there's the Democrats' $1.5 trillion tax hike. Trillion with a T. Let me just repeat that: Any Senator who votes for that budget is voting for a $1.5 trillion tax hike, the second-largest in the history of our country," he added. "So the Senate Democrat budget is more than just disappointing: it's extreme. It's really one of the most extreme, most left-wing budgets of the modern era."
Democrats have been no more complimentary about the GOP blueprint, penned by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., the former vice presidential nominee and notorious deficit hawk who has become famous for his annual, controversial budget blueprints.
"You have to say this for Congressman Paul Ryan: He is consistent," said Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., in a press conference today. "Unfortunately being consistently wrong doesn't earn you any points when it comes to helping senior citizens across America."
Despite the divide, Republicans were cautiously optimistic after their lunch with the president.
In remarks to reporters, McConnell characterized the lunch as a "great meeting" and suggested that he and Mr. Obama are more or less on the same page about corporate tax reform. He also said the president agreed with him that "you can't fix the country without addressing entitlements to fit the demographics of our country."
McConnell added that, while he would love "a unified Republican government," there are "uniquely difficult things that one could argue can only be done in a time of divided government. And that's what we have."
"But you can't do it without presidential leadership," he argued. "He's got an indispensable role and we hope that he's decided to step up."
This afternoon, Senate Democrats will continue marking up their version of the bill, which its author, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., touted as reflective of "the pro-growth, pro-middle-class agenda that the American people went to the polls and supported last November."
But White House spokesman Jay Carney acknowledged the "enormous obstacles" to a comprehensive deficit reduction deal. Still, he said Mr. Obama would continue his outreach to "engage" with lawmakers in its pursuit.
In the meantime, Congress continues working toward a plan to keep the government funded at least past March 27, when the current Continuing Resolution runs out. By the end of the week, the Senate is expected to pass a short-term spending bill aimed at funding the government through September.
As both parties forge forward with work on two separate - and deeply distinct - budget proposals, President Obama is back on Capitol Hill today in an ongoing effort to smooth over any ruffled feathers that might be blocking the way toward a "balanced" bipartisan budget deal.
Mr. Obama, who spent yesterday afternoon in House Republican territory, stopped in today on both Senate Republicans and House Democrats, presumably in pursuit of the kind of goodwill that could help him facilitate a budget deal that will be palatable to Democrats.
"He impresses everybody with his knowledge of the issues," Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., told reporters today, in advance of the president's appearance, when asked about the nature of the closed-door meetings. He predicted that, after today's assembly, the "vast, vast majority" of Senate Republicans would say, "he's a very nice man and he's extremely smart."
Smart and nice or not, Mr. Obama has a long way to go before there's any hope of getting Republicans on board with his own vision for a budget: Even as he pops in for luncheons and rap sessions with various lawmakers on Capitol Hill, Congress members on both sides of the aisle are working up very different, at times diametrically opposed blueprints for funding the government.
The House GOP proposal would balance the federal budget in 10 years by restricting future annual increases in spending to a maximum of 3.4 percent, down from the current 4.9 percent, overhaul Medicare and implement widespread non-defense discretionary cuts. Democrats, meanwhile, introduced a plan that would net almost an additional $1 trillion in revenue, secured by closing tax loopholes that primarily benefit wealthier Americans and corporations, while levying targeted spending cuts in roughly the same amount.
Neither party sees much to write home about in the rival team's plan: In remarks on the Senate floor this morning, Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., argued the Democrat-sponsored bill would "do more to harm the economy than to help it, and it will let Medicare and Social Security drift closer to bankruptcy."
"And then there's the Democrats' $1.5 trillion tax hike. Trillion with a T. Let me just repeat that: Any Senator who votes for that budget is voting for a $1.5 trillion tax hike, the second-largest in the history of our country," he added. "So the Senate Democrat budget is more than just disappointing: it's extreme. It's really one of the most extreme, most left-wing budgets of the modern era."
Democrats have been no more complimentary about the GOP blueprint, penned by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., the former vice presidential nominee and notorious deficit hawk who has become famous for his annual, controversial budget blueprints.
"You have to say this for Congressman Paul Ryan: He is consistent," said Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., in a press conference today. "Unfortunately being consistently wrong doesn't earn you any points when it comes to helping senior citizens across America."
Despite the divide, Republicans were cautiously optimistic after their lunch with the president.
In remarks to reporters, McConnell characterized the lunch as a "great meeting" and suggested that he and Mr. Obama are more or less on the same page about corporate tax reform. He also said the president agreed with him that "you can't fix the country without addressing entitlements to fit the demographics of our country."
McConnell added that, while he would love "a unified Republican government," there are "uniquely difficult things that one could argue can only be done in a time of divided government. And that's what we have."
"But you can't do it without presidential leadership," he argued. "He's got an indispensable role and we hope that he's decided to step up."
This afternoon, Senate Democrats will continue marking up their version of the bill, which its author, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., touted as reflective of "the pro-growth, pro-middle-class agenda that the American people went to the polls and supported last November."
But White House spokesman Jay Carney acknowledged the "enormous obstacles" to a comprehensive deficit reduction deal. Still, he said Mr. Obama would continue his outreach to "engage" with lawmakers in its pursuit.
In the meantime, Congress continues working toward a plan to keep the government funded at least past March 27, when the current Continuing Resolution runs out. By the end of the week, the Senate is expected to pass a short-term spending bill aimed at funding the government through September.