The drive by the House GOP leadership to cobble together a budget deal with a shutdown looming is running into more turbulence with the members of the Freedom Caucus demanding assurances the cuts they want will be in the final package.
Hampering the efforts to get the caucus all on the same page is conservatives' suspicions that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) can't be trusted to keep his word.
According to a report from Reese Gorman at NOTUS, the package that was given a public airing on Wednesday still has its critics and there are rumblings it may fall apart.
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As Gorman is reporting, "drafting legislative language is hardly the only concern. The proposed cuts aren’t in line with the ambitions of fiscal hawks, and most of the tax cuts aren’t offset, meaning the legislation would increase the deficit. Adding to the problems, $4.5 trillion isn’t actually enough to enact all of President Donald Trump’s campaign proposals on taxes. And a $4 trillion debt ceiling raise will be a tough sell with the most ideologically pure Republicans."
The report notes that calls to some GOP lawmakers to gauge support are not going well.
With Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington (R-TX) unable to lose more than four GOP votes, Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO) sounded a grim note calling the plans so far, "pathetic."
He then added, “I’m inclined to not support it. [Rep.] Andy Biggs (R-AZ) reminded us of the growth and the interest on the national debt. I don’t even think that this covers the growth and the interest payments, right?”
“But I’m not gonna do it because Johnson promises it,” Burlison elaborated. “Because I’ve been burned by him multiple times over the last two years. So that’s where I’m at.”
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