The 2010 Obama Budget, the Republican Future, and More

Our daily look at stories and topics that are lighting up the Internets:

Obama's Budget

President Obama unveiled his budget for the 2010 fiscal year today, and bloggers have been reacting to his proposal before it was even released. Text of the 2010 budget is available here. Obama's remarks on the budget are available here. Marc Ambinder gives a rundown of the politically interesting items in the 134 page document, as does Johanna Neuman here. Most conservative bloggers couldn't be unhappier with the budget, seeing signs in the proposal of "socialism" or worse. Liberal bloggers, however, seem satisfied with the president's priorities. Here's a roundup of favorable and unfavorable reactions to Obama's budget:

Pro: Liberal bloggers focused on prioritization of healthcare in the budget, and liked what they saw. One liberal blogger gets right to the point: "It's pretty much official—health care reform is ON this year." He's really going for it, writes Steve Benen, commenting on this piece from today's Washington Post. Here's how he sees Obama's plan for healthcare reform take shape: "The White House first step doesn't include the details of a reform proposal, and that's a deliberate part of the broader strategy—the president intends to move forward with the down payment on a plan, while working cooperatively with Congress to shape the plan itself." Ezra Klein happily analyzes the budget with a similar eye for healthcare reform: "the language in today's budget is something entirely different: Not an idea, but a directive." And Dan Amira rounds up a host of reactions to signs of healthcare reform.

Con: "Obama's proposed federal budget features a dramatic change in the tax code," writes Michael Silverstein. The only real change, however, is that the rich will now have to pay their accounts more to find "innumerable loopholes that could be employed to avoid the new law's intent." Conservative Dan Spencer bullet-points the problems with Obama's budget, writing: "Like Obama said, he won. It's becoming clear that means we lose." Marc Ambinder notes that Obama's budget doesn't live up his words in Tuesday's speech about halving the deficit by 2013. And Jonathan Adler sees a hidden climate tax in Obama's budget. He explains: "President Obama's first budget includes a cap-and-trade plan that will require emitting companies to purchase emission allowances. This will generate several hundred billion dollars to be used for energy subsidies and a tax credit for working families." Philip Klein cites Rep. Paul Ryan speaking on Obama's priorities: "We could get to the point where more people depend on the government than free enterprise."

GOP, Party of No?

Conservatives are meeting in Washington for the next few days for the annual CPAC conference, and bloggers conservative and liberal are commenting, criticizing and complaining about the future of the Republican party. Catch live coverage of CPAC from Ed Morrissey here. Conservative Patrick Ruffini laments the Joe-the-Plumberization of the GOP, while our very own Mary Kate Cary chastises the Republicans for living up to the name many in the media coined for the party, The Party of No. She writes: "Let's hear which principles they stand for, the policies that they support to get us there, and why their ideas are superior to the President's proposals. Let them stand on their merits." Liberal David Kurtz pokes fun at the conference, noting the comical title for one of today's panel sessions: "Al Franken and ACORN: How Liberals are Destroying the American Election System." Other liberal bloggers, like this one, were less tongue-in-cheek: "The Party of No is planning another 'unified front' against the President. Maybe the Party of Stupid would be more accurate." Also generating controversy in the blogosphere is today's inaugural Washington Post column from Bill Kristol on GOP opposition strategy.

... Meanwhile ...

Kenneth the Page responds to Bobby Jindal ... The economy still sucks ... The ex-wife of French President Nicolas Sarkozy moves to the United States... And for only 40 bucks Palestinian graffiti artists will spray your message on the West Bank wall.