If you think the GOP's 2010 campaign talking point about slicing $100 billion out of the federal budget seems like a moving target, you aren't alone.
"I was literally chasing that number all around the Hill today," HuffPost Senior Politics Editor Howard Fineman told MSNBC's Keith Olbermann on Wednesday night.
Turns out there's a lot of "fine print" that came with the Republican goal, and that will keep the cuts far below certain expectations.
"A lot of tea partiers are going to be upset by the numbers," Fineman said. "On the other hand, a lot of members, including some new members, are going to realize that if they're actually going to cut even $30 billion from what's left of the half year of the budget, it's going to greatly affect things."
As for the Democrats, Fineman said they're likely to sit back and watch, "because there isn't a whole lot else they're going to be able to do" as new Speaker John Boehner takes power away from committees and concentrate it at the top -- a move that may also throw some cold water on the plans and hopes of the tea party delegation.
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