Democrats aiming to seize control of budget battle during final weeks

Democrats are trying to regain control in the escalating budget fight and end this year’s messy appropriations process on their terms after weeks of White House attacks.

House and Senate Democrats on Monday stepped up threats to eliminate Republican policy priorities as well as earmarks if the GOP refuses to back an omnibus spending bill that is intended to “split the difference” between the proposed domestic budget of the White House and the Democrats. By eliminating pet projects for members of both parties, Democrats say they will be able to reduce their proposed budget to the White House’s $933 billion request for domestic spending.

{mosads}“If Republicans continue to posture, their actions will have consequences,” a Senate Democratic leadership aide said. “While it’s not the way that we would like for it to end, it’s a possibility.”

The threat, which was also levied Monday by House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D-Wis.) after making the same threat months ago, was immediately debunked by Republicans.

“Haven’t we heard this threat before?  I don’t think lawmakers respond too well to threats, though they can be swayed by sound policy quite frequently,” said Brian Kennedy, a spokesman for House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio).

For the past several weeks, Democrats have largely been on the defensive as President Bush has repeatedly skewered congressional Democrats for sending him just one spending bill that he would sign. He also blasted their proposal to add $22 billion more than he wants for domestic programs and their refusal  to clear a funding bill for the Iraq war with no strings attached.

Democrats believe this week will showcase major concessions that they have been making to reach accord with a White House refusing to accept compromises from Congress. As Democrats push a spending bill that comes closer to Bush’s request and provides short-term financing for the Iraq war, they expect that their approach will increasingly put Republicans in difficult positions — especially those in tough re-election races who may need to trumpet pet projects and other priorities.

Democrats are now planning to roll the 11 remaining spending measures into one omnibus $522 billion spending bill package, which was expected to include just over $30 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan with no restrictions on Bush’s war policy.

Democrats say the spending package “splits the difference” between Bush’s proposed amount of domestic spending and their level.

A possibility remains that the bill may sink under strong opposition from the Democrats’ left flank, which opposes unconditional money for Iraq and stepped up calls Monday for Democrats to reject the bill. The proposal was expected to be unveiled after press time Monday.
The House may vote on the package as soon as Tuesday, with ensuing Senate action expected to provide an even greater boost for Iraq of up to $70 billion.

Over the weekend, the White House announced vehement opposition to the plan, and congressional Republican leaders signaled they would sustain a presidential veto threat. If Bush carries through on his veto threat of the omnibus plan, Democrats might float another plan to further slice domestic spending and include the president’s war funding, possibly by eliminating earmarks.

If the president again refuses to accept an even slimmer package, Democrats argue it will help them make the case that they are conciliatory while the White House is intransigent in refusing to work with Congress.

“The White House should cease its political posturing and work with the Congress to complete the appropriations process,” Appropriations Committee Chairman Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) said Monday in a statement.

But Republicans criticize the Democratic attempts for a “compromise,” saying the majority has shut them out of the negotiating process while pushing an excessive amount of domestic spending.

Instead of allowing an omnibus bill to clear, some Republicans are pushing for a long-term continuing resolution, either until early spring or all the way until the beginning of fiscal 2009, which starts Oct. 1.

The current stopgap resolution expires Friday, and Congress is expected to clear an additional plan this week to fund the government until Dec. 21.

“We can’t let the Democrats use our troops as human shields to pass a half-trillion-dollar, budget-busting omnibus spending bill that is filled with thousands of wasteful earmarks,”

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) said Monday. “If we stop them, we can save taxpayers $31 billion this year.  It’s a choice between fiscal restraint and pork-barrel spending.”

It is unclear how much traction that has among some key Senate Republicans, who have much invested in the spending measure.

After suggesting last week that a deal could be reached via an omnibus bill with increased domestic spending and unfettered Iraq money, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), an appropriator who is up for re-election next year, has signaled concerns with the Democratic levels.

“Nearly a quarter of the way into the fiscal year, we’re still 11 appropriations bills short —that’s out of a total of 12 bills,” McConnell said Monday. “We need to act on these, but do so in a fiscally responsible way that ensures they become law.”

Democrats say they are determined not to punt the appropriations bills until next year and will try to make it increasingly difficult for Republicans to stick with the White House on the latest fight.

Some outside observers also suggest that the White House will find itself in an increasingly unpopular position if it refuses to negotiate on the omnibus measure.

“If the White House digs in their heels and says, ‘I want exactly what I’ve always wanted,’ that’s not going to play very well with the American public,” said Steve Ellis, vice president of Taxpayers for Common Sense.