The President's budget? Preposterous.
The National Review's Yuval Levin criticizes President Obama's budget submission, says it's ability to stimulate a "grand bargain" will be "very unlikely."

Begin the negotiations between the White House and Senate
Right Turn's Jennifer Rubin urges the Pentagon, the Senate and the White House to get "on the same page" to ensure negotiations of the budget in the House.

Why comparing budgets is so maddeningly tough
Wonkblog's Dylan Matthews explains that one reason it is nearly impossible to fairly compare budgets is because their baselines are different.

Jay-Z, Rand Paul, and the Black Democrat mystery
Daily Intel's Jonathan Chait says the Republican outrage over Jay-Z's trip to Cuba underscores how the party is bungling its diversity outreach.


Senate votes 68-31 to move forward with gun control measure
On Thursday, the Senate cleared the expected filibuster and was able to move forward on gun control, The Hill's Jonathan Easley and Ramsey Cox report.

White House backs conference committee as path to debt deal
The administration supports Budget chairmen Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) to reconcile the different budget resolutions, The Hill's Erik Wasson reports.