Obama, Senate Democrats Diverge Over Budget

Senate Democrats are beginning to break away from President Barack Obama on the budget issue. They worry he will just look out for himself in dealing with Republicans on spending decisions, The Hill reports.

Last Thursday, Democrats’ proposal for only $6 billion in spending cuts this year drew fewer votes on the Senate floor than a competing bill approved by the GOP House that would slash $61 billion.

Eleven Democrats defected from their party’s bill. Many of them, worried about getting re-elected next year, wanted to vote for bigger spending reductions than the White House proposed.

Some Democratic politicos see Obama repeating his strategy from last year on tax reductions, where he let Democrats in Congress fight extension of Bush-era tax cuts before he was able to take credit for compromising with Republicans on the issue.