EVERY FACTION FOR ITSELF:

Democrats wonder: What's our plan? (JONATHAN ALLEN, 3/17/11, Politico)

Democrats in Congress are grappling with a question as they negotiate a spending deal: Who's in charge?

The top two Democratic leaders in the House have twice split on whether to approve short-term government funding bills that cut billions from federal accounts. Senate Democrats haven’t put forward a long-term spending plan that can move through their chamber, and Democrats on both sides of the Capitol say they have no idea where the White House stands or who’s running the show.

The result is a rank and file that is confused about its direction and unhappy with the leadership — or lack of it — on when to go along with the Republican-controlled House on budget matters and when to stand and fight.

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