Don't expect much out of Friday's meeting among President Obama and congressional leaders.
Initial GOP reaction to the meeting? It's a farce.
“If the president is serious about stopping the sequester, why did he schedule a meeting on Tuesday for Friday when the sequester hits at midnight on Thursday?,” one congressional Republican said when asked about the GOP gameplan for the White House session. “Either someone needs to buy the White House a calendar, or this is just a – belated – farce. They ought to at least pretend to try.”
Attention on the Hill – especially among Republicans – has already moved beyond the sequester to the continuing resolution.
Democrats will try to ensure the CR unwinds the sequester. But barring significant public reaction to the cuts that go into effect on Friday, Republicans are unlikely to budge unless Obama and Senate Democrats drop their demand for more revenue.
That seems unlikely. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said that while she waits for the White House meeting, her caucus will still seek a vote on a Democratic proposal to avert the sequester with a combination of spending cuts and increased revenue. “It is time to act to protect the middle class, create jobs, and reduce the deficit in a balanced way.”
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