GOP Facing Tea Party Revolt

GOP Facing Tea Party Revolt

Thursday, 14 Apr 2011 12:21 PM
By David A. Patten

A stunning Congressional Budget Office report revealing that the so-called $38 billion in budget cuts made last week will only result in $352 million in savings this year has touched off a backlash from the conservative grass-roots base of the GOP that could make future bargains that much more difficult.

Several top tea party leaders are trying to ease the frustration, reminding the tea party faithful that Republicans only control the House of Representatives. But the antipathy on the right with how Washington does business is now palpable.

Even if congressional leaders are able to squeeze the continuing resolution through Congress on Thursday, the questionable insider dealing, combined with President Barack Obama’s partisan speech on entitlement reform on Wednesday, could make future compromises on the debt ceiling and the 2012 budget much harder to achieve, sources say.

Obama intimated the reforms proposed by Wisconsin GOP Rep. Paul Ryan were un-American. Ryan replied that Obama has become a “campaigner in chief.â€