Nice try, Eric:
Republicans used the passage of a three-week spending bill in the House on Tuesday to ramp up pressure on Democrats and President Obama, saying he has “yet to truly weigh in” on the budget.
Minutes after the resolution passed, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said in a statement that it was “just the start” of efforts to cut spending and urged Obama to do more.
“The president has yet to truly weigh in on where he stands, and has an obligation to this country to do so,” he said. “House Republicans cannot negotiate with ourselves, and we are demanding that Democrats and the administration get serious about cutting spending and show us their plan.”
Okay, so if Democrats truly aren't cooperating, if Democrats truly have just walked away from the negotiating table, then how does Eric Cantor explain the fact that today's short-term spending bill wouldn't have passed without Democratic support?
In case he wasn't paying attention, here's the roll call:
Ayes: 271 (186 Rs, 85 Ds)
Noes: 158 (54 Rs, 104 Ds)
Republicans weren't just short, they were way short—32 votes shy of the 218 they needed. Whether you like their decision or not, the fact is that if it weren't for Democrats willing to compromise, government would be shutting down on Friday. And the one and only reason we don't yet have a budget for FY2011 is that Republicans haven't yet figured out that the only way they are going to get a deal done that can pass the Senate and find its way to the President's desk is by showing a willingness to compromise, with or without their tea party extremists. Otherwise, we're heading for a train wreck, and it'll be entirely their fault.
