GOP MOVES DECISIVELY ON BUDGET – AT 11:58 A.M. ET:  Don't underestimate the political risks here.  Budget cuts can be demagogued easily as "attacks on the poor" or "stealing from children" or "protecting the rich."  But at least the Republicans are willing to come to bat.  From Fox:

The Republican chairman of the House Budget Committee said his party's budget proposal for 2012 would cut deficits by more than $4 trillion over the next decade, vowing to tackle costly entitlements like Medicare and Medicaid.

The proposal, set to be unveiled Tuesday, would serve as the Republicans' official response to President Obama's proposed $3.7 trillion budget for 2012. The White House claims its plan would cut deficits by $1.1 trillion over a decade.

But Ryan, R-Wis., in an interview with "Fox News Sunday," accused Obama of "punting" and said Republicans' plan would exceed the fiscal goals set by the president's fiscal commission -- which issued a report calling for $4 trillion in cuts. That report never made it out of committee.

"We can't keep kicking this can down the road," Ryan said. "The president has punted. We're not going to follow suit."

The GOP proposal coincides with the ongoing debate over the remainder of the fiscal 2011 budget. Both parties are trying to hammer out a half-year budget before the deadline for a partial government shutdown Friday. From there, they move immediately to the 2012 budget debate.

COMMENT:  The Democrats know one important thing politically – that once you give an entitlement it's almost impossible to take it back or reduce it...at least without throwing yourself out of office.  Republicans are acting responsibily, Democrats will not follow.  The Democratic Party is basically one big ATM for its supporters.  The Republicans must devote as much energy and thought to explaining their proposals as they do to formulating them. 

April 3, 2011