Last year four Republicans opposed the Ryan budget. This year, their number swelled to 10 – notable enough, not really a mob that should disturb Republicans. Their names:
Walter Jones (NC)
Jimmy Duncan (TN)
Tim Huelskamp (KS)
Chris Gibson (NY)
Justin Amash (MI)
Todd Platts (PA)
Ed Whitfield (KY)
David McKinley (WV
Denny Rehberg (MT)
Joe Barton (TX)
I’ve asked for explanations of the various votes, but we can assume that Jones, McKinley, and Rehberg haven’t changed their rationales since 2011, and that Justin Amash, one of very few Ron Paul endorsers in the House, judged the budget and found it unserious about cuts.
Still: Ten Republicans isn’t that many! Two hundred and twenty eight of them, some of whom are retiring, all of whom have better ideas about the districts they have to run for re-election in, went for Medicare voucherization. Democrats will hit them on it. They do not care. Overton Window, shifted.
UPDATE: Ed Whitfield comments:
Today I voted against the budget proposals offered in the House. After reviewing the different proposals, I didn’t feel they offered an effective plan to balance the budget and provide the needed reform to preserve Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.
Some of the proposals would cut federal spending, as we must do, but I am not going to vote for a budget that takes more than 20 years to be in balance. We face mounting deficits, with an almost $16 trillion debt and we must do better.
Add him to the “not conservative enough” column.
