This is quite a budget showdown we're having, isn't it? The original Republican proposal asked for $32 billion in cuts, and after considerable grumbling Democrats eventually accepted that. But by that time Republicans had moved on, proposing $38 billion in cuts. Democrats are now willing to accept that, but Republicans have upped the ante again: they want $39 billion in cuts plus a bunch of extraneous riders to defund Planned Parenthood and hand out a slew of environmental exemptions to favored industries.

So what's next? Democrats cave in again and Republicans turn down them down unless they accept $50 billion in cuts and Obama goes on national TV to apologize for the New Deal? Yeesh.

Now, tell me again which party is eagerly hoping for a government shutdown and which one just wants to cut a deal?

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Kevin Drum

Political Blogger

Kevin Drum is a political blogger for Mother Jones. For more of his stories, click here. RSS | Twitter