With Republicans poised to take control both chambers of Congress, it's up to them to strike a budget deal that will avert automatic spending cuts slated to resume in full force this year.
Last time, the bipartisan budget deal was crafted by two budget chairs with significant clout within their caucuses: Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. This time, it will be two Republicans, Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., and Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., who will spearhead a deal.
But to succeed, they must adopt Ryan-Murray principles to get a deal with broad bipartisan support.
That means including senior Democrats, since a plan written for the House GOP won't get the necessary Democrats in the Senate to pass. That, in turn, means also including domestic elements that Democrats can support, allowing defense caps to be raised. The deal has to be more than merely red meat for the right.
One option: Add revenue-raisers via corporate tax code reforms that both parties can support, giving the Pentagon flexibility to decide what gets cut under a lessened sequester deal. Another year of relief and flexibility on where to cut would be a win for Pentagon and industry.
While there will be enormous appetite to merely chip away at Obamacare, Republicans now have an opportunity to put forward a serious proposal to improve America's health care.
Reaching any meaningful budget agreement will require moving fast. The longer the wait, the harder it will be to craft a deal.
