After two days of debate, the Republican-led House of Representatives passed Rep. Paul Ryan’s, R-Wisc., budget plan.

The vote fell mostly along party lines, 228-191, with no Democrats voting for the bill and 10 Republicans opposing it. The budget would cut domestic spending to levels not seen since the World War II era, reform the tax code, and change the way Medicare is implemented.

More specifically, Ryan’s budget would consolidate the six tax brackets that currently exist to two — 10% and 25% — and reduce the corporate tax rate to 25%. It would also fully repeal President Barack Obama’s health care bill and overhaul Medicare. Under the Republicans’ plan, Medicare would become a program that subsidizes senior citizens’ health care premiums, allowing to either buy traditional Medicare insurance or private health insurance. Read 

Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., was trying to make a point today about the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. Unfortunately for Rush, he ran afoul of Congress’ rules when doing so.

At times, Congress allows House members to give one minute speeches on a topic of their choosing. Rush chose to give his speech on Martin, but he also decided to wear a hooded sweatshirt and sunglasses while giving his speech. The congressman currently presiding over that session of Congress, Gregg Harper, R-Miss., spoke out, saying that hats were forbidden in the House chamber, and then asked the Sergeant-At-Arms to enforce the rule. Rush says he was then led off the floor by someone from the Sergeant-At-Arms’ office.

Rush, who is African-American, said in a later interview with CNN that he was outraged that George Zimmerman, who allegedly shot Martin in what he claims was self-defense, had not been arrested yet. Read 

The pundits keep tossing Florida Sen. Marco Rubio‘s name out as a possible Republican vice presidential candidate, and Rubio keeps telling them no.

Rubio’s latest denial came in an interview with MSNBC. He answered the question with what sounded like a pretty clear denial.

“I’m not going to be the vice presidential nominee, but I’m always flattered when people bring it up, I think they mean it as a compliment.” Read 

The Obama administration seems particularly intent on rolling back subsidies for the American oil and natural gas industry, as the Executive Office released a statement this Monday explicitly endorsing the passage of Senate Bill S. 2204 — Repeal Big Oil Subsidies Act.

The bill is currently undergoing debate in the Senate; its standing iteration lays out plans to scale back oil and natural gas industry entitlements over the span of a decade. In terms of financial specifics, the bill outlines an initiative to lift $21 billion in oil and natural gas industry tax breaks over a period of ten years — ultimately including the previously uncollected sum among a given year’s tax collection.

The March 26 statement directly claims: Read 

Newt Gingrich has had a hard time raising money for his presidential campaign from anyone not named Sheldon Adelson. How bad have things gotten for Gingrich?

He’s now charging people $50 to get their picture taken with him at events.

This new fundraising scheme was implemented yesterday while Gingrich was campaigning in Delaware. The new policy seems unlikely to make a dent in either Gingrich’s campaign debt, which currently sits at $1.5 million since primary season began, nor will it likely win him voters. The most recent primary, held in Louisiana on Saturday, saw Gingrich lose one of the Southern states he had anticipated carrying. Gingrich finished third, behind the winner Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney, gaining 15.9% of the vote. Read 

In regards to your “Home Drilling Does Little to Lower Gas Prices” post today on American Breaking Point, excellent read. Thanks!

I thought you might find the charts and commentary found here of interest:

Read