Budget Debate Shows Power of GOP Freshmen

Many of the 87 House Republican freshmen owe at least part of their election victories to their promises to seriously cut government spending. And the current budget debate offers them the chance to put their ideas into action, Politico reports.

“We were not sent here to go along and compromise,” Rep. Stephen Fincher, R-Tenn., told reporters at a protest Wednesday. “We were sent to come up here and lead.”

The rookies have repeatedly pushed for the largest amount of spending reductions possible, forcing the Republican House leadership to go beyond its initial plan for $33 billion in cuts. Now the freshmen are trying to convince Senate Democrats to pass a bill that eliminates $61 billion of spending.