Speaker John Boehner has made plans to bypass House conservatives and ram through two items opposed by the right. He will try and pass a budget deal, using a parliamentary manuever to speed passage. He is also planning a vote on the so-called Medicare "doc fix" he negotiated with Nancy Pelosi last week. Politico: If they’re able to clear the two measures, a battered leadership will go into the Easter recess with some pep in its step, as it tries to extend highway funding, begin work on annual appropriations bills and raise the debt ceiling. Not to mention, passing a budget will give Congress the ability to start a budget negotiation process with the Senate. Whipsawed over the past several years by its rank-and-file, especially the most hard-core conservatives, GOP leaders appear determined to take charge. Boehner and McCarthy have divvied up responsibility for the two major pieces of legislation. Boehner is working to ensure passage of the so-called...(Read Full Post)