Surprise! Paul Ryan's committee approves Paul Ryan's budget

Yeah, him again. Wednesday night the House Budget Committee approved chairman Paul Ryan's latest collection of magic asterisks and snake oil with a party-line vote, 22-17. Dedicated Ryan watchers might remember that last year's budget came up against some intra-party opposition in committee. Leadership quickly dealt with that problem.

That budget passed out of committee on a single vote margin after two conservatives'Reps. Tim Huelskamp (R-Kan.) and Justin Amash (R-Mich.)'voted against it.

Huelskamp and Amash were removed by GOP leadership from the Budget Committee last year.

Outside of committee, there is some grumbling from Republicans about the budget and the fact that it's not ideologically pure enough because of some of the smoke and mirrors tricks Ryan uses. Namely, it relies on the $600 billion in tax revenue from the fiscal cliff deal, the $716 billion in Medicare cuts from Obamacare, as well as other revenue from tax increases included in the law to "balance" the budget in 10 years. Which, by the way, also makes the budget kind of a sham since it also would repeal Obamacare.

Note that these Republicans are pissed that Ryan assumes accomplishments of the Obama administration in his budget, not that his proposals would make life hell for all their constituents who are old, young, poor, middle-income and who enjoy things like clean water, air, and safe food.