D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray is arrested in front of the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Monday, April 11. (Bill Clark/Roll Call)
–President Obama will use the Simpson-Bowles commission report as a framework for the deficit reduction plan he’s set to unveil Wednesday afternoon. Starting from the center will only exacerbate liberal frustration over the White House’s negotiating tactics. Early indications that it’s willing to make concessions on cuts tied to the debt ceiling vote won’t help matters. As for a deal suddenly materializing from the Senate’s bipartisan Gang of Six, also working from Simpson-Bowles and getting closer to going public, Tom Coburn says that’s not going to happen:
“It’d be pretty hard for [Obama] to hitch himself to something that doesn’t exist yet,” Coburn said. “There’s nothing I’ve agreed to that could be announced this week.”
–The House Appropriations Committee has released details on the newly agreed-upon 2011 budget cuts. Rand Paul urges freshmen to reject the deal, but it looks poised to pass.
–D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray was arrested at Capitol protests over restrictions to District funding that made it into the deal.
—Michael Shear points out that Democrats who want to wield Ryan’s plan against Republican challengers need look no further than the races run against incumbent Dems last election season.
–Larry Summer reflects on Clinton-era deregulation.
–How the Christian right found a friend in Ivory Coast’s Gbagbo.
–Nick Ayers talks to Robert Costa about his decision to join Team Pawlenty.