Budget Debate Shifts to Tea Party Side

Some tea party activists may complain about small setbacks they suffered in the budget agreement reached last week. But they clearly won the war even, if they lost a few of the battles, Politico reports.

“The Republican — and, yes, the tea party — agenda is not only ascendant, it’s driving the debate over reshaping government at every level,” the news service states.

And understandably enough, that has many Republicans excited. “The debate is now on our side of the field,” said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D. “This is just the opening act. These upcoming debates are not going to be about whether we’re going to reduce the cost and size of government, but how much. That’s very good ground for Republicans to fight on.”