Obama Wants A “Grand bargain” Budget Deal

With a very light snow prompting the entire government to get shut down, Republicans snickered that forecasts of a major blizzard reminded them of the sequester. Lots of hype, with little actual gloom and doom panning out.

“None of the funds made available by division of this act, may be used to transport the president to or from a golf course until public tours of the White House resume,” Rep. Louie Gohmert, (R-TX,) March 5, 2013.

Republican Louie Gohmert offered an amendment responding to the administration using the sequester to shut down White House tours. Potus greeting tourists “Hi how are you” Republican speaker John Boehner went out of his way to post a photo of himself greeting tourists visiting the capitol . And declared (QUOTE): “While I’m disappointed the White House has chosen to comply with sequestration by cutting public tours, I’m pleased to assure you that public tours of the United States Capitol will continue.”

Democrats dismissed the attacks as a sideshow. And said it was time for republicans to stop forcing one budget crisis after another

“We should not allow my colleagues, our government to shut down, but we cannot do business this way, lurching from one manufactured crisis to the next,” says Rep Steny Hoyer / (D-MD) house minority whip.

While the executive branch was closed, the house was in session to pass a bill that will keep the government from shutting down for good when it runs out of money three weeks from today. And the president moved to head off future crises by inviting a group of republican senators to dinner tonight at the Jefferson hotel, including Lindsey Graham

“I’m encouraged by the president’s outreach, I hope it bears fruit. but i know this – if we never talk to each other, I know exactly what’s going to happen: this country is going to fail,” says Sen. Lindsey Graham / (R-S.C)

White House spokesman Jay Carney says the president wants to talk about a “grand bargain” budget deal, but also coming together on issues like immigration reform.

“The President is interested in finding the members of the “caucus of common sense,” Jay Carney, White House press secretary. This also signals a new strategy because the president is dining with close to a dozen rank and file republicans — a list that does not include Boehner or senate republican leader Mitch McConnell

“Frankly, I wish he’d done more of that over the years. We’ve had, all of us, very limited interaction with the president. And he certainly doesn’t have to go through me to call my members, and I’m sure he will,” says Sen. Mitch McConnell / (R-KY,) senate minority leader

“The President has also asked to meet individually with the caucuses of the House Democrats and House Republicans, Senate Democrats and Senate Republicans next week. The first time he’s met with Republicans on the Hill since 2010. At the White House, Ed Henry, Fox News.”