What is the Ryan Republican Budget All About?

For all of the Republicans' talk about cutting the nation's deficit, there was one major omission from the Ryan Republican Budget – immigration reform, which would reduce the deficit by $900 billion, according to CBO.

Earlier in the Budget Committee, Congressman Tony Cardenas put Chairman Ryan on the spot by raising that point:

"Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Earlier you spoke on the dire fiscal situation this country is in. I agree that we need to do more to balance our budget…comprehensive immigration reform would reduce our deficit by $900 billion. And also, this is the committee where we should handle it, Mr. Chairman, just as you are rewriting Medicare to balance the budget as well in this Committee. [4/2]

In fact, Congressman Ryan agreed with him, mouthing:

"That's a good point." [4/2]

Yet 21 House Republicans, including Chairman Ryan, on the Committee defeated Congressman Cardenas' amendment to include H.R. 15 – bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform legislation – as part of the budget without additional comment. Chairman, we are left wondering: is your budget really about reducing the deficit or protecting your "partisan wish list"?