The fiscal hawks in the Republican Study Committee are set to introduce a document today that will promise to balance the budget in 10 years. It’s not scored so we don’t know if that’s really the case, but in a sense it’s helpful to have out there what a really draconian budget — one we’d need in a real debt crisis — looks like. It was interesting the the head of the RSC, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), put out a statement that was very complimentary of the Ryan budget. And why shouldn’t he be? Ryan is a member of the RSC. Past RSC stalwarts Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) and Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Tex.), who are RSC members and past RSC chairmen, have been instrumental in putting together the Ryan budget.
In short, the RSC essentially has already taken over the House. The proof is the Ryan budget that, he freely concedes, would never have been possible without a conservative House ( not just a GOP majority).
What should the RSC do with that budget? I think they use it as a public education devise and to keep the pressure on their leaders. Why not vote on it? No! That’s a Sen. Harry Reid (R-Nev.) move ( remember the tax hike votes last year that proved he didn’t have enough firepower?) — it shows you don’t have a majority. The RSC’s highest use is to keep the leadership’s feet to the fire. They shouldn’t douse their own flames.
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