Republican Budget-Cut Strategy Carries Risk

Pressure from tea-party backed conservatives has led House Appropriations Committee Chairman Harold Rogers to call for $100 billion of spending cuts this fiscal year, up from Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s $32 billion proposal just a week ago. While the stronger stance may satisfy fiscal hawks, it could cause some problems for Republicans, Politico reports.

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A new poll from the Pew Research Center shows Americans support President Barack Obama’s pledge to freeze domestic spending at current levels for the next five years. But they express opposition to the substantial immediate cutbacks pushed by the tea partyers.

Some Republican congressmen close to House Speaker John Boehner worry that their colleagues have gone too far and may alienate much of the electorate, according to Politico.