Democrats Satisfied With Obama's Budget Plan

By Simone Götesson

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), along with fellow Senate Democrats Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.), held a press conference Thursday in support of President Obama’s budget proposal for 2012.

“He’s cast a wide net, making sure that there’s going to be some shared sacrifices,” Reid said.

Sen. Schumer applauded Obama for opening a budget debate between Democrats and Republicans, saying it will “rage long after we resolve the debt ceiling.”

“We welcome it,” said Schumer. ”The House Republicans aren’t trying to balance the budget. They fundamentally want to alter American’s relationships with their government.”

Obama unveiled his budget plan Wednesday in a high-profile speech at George Washington University. Obama called for $4 trillion in reduced spending throughout the next dozen years, saying that it should come from both spending cuts and increased revenue, acheivable via higher taxes from the wealthiest Americans.