Conservatives Have Some Concerns

Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) may have received the necessary assurances from Democratic leaders to move forward with a deal to disclose lawmakers' pet spending projects, but it certainly doesn't look like his own conservative Republicans support it.

Boehner cut a deal with Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) Thursday  to move forward with the appropriations process after much hand-wringing only to watch his conservative colleagues hold the House floor hostage once again Thursday night - in a direct rebuke of their leader - to needle Hoyer and Appropriations Chairman David Obey (D-Wis.) about the details of the pact.

The parade of conservatives have raised legitimate concerns and gratuitous partisan queries to unsettle the Democratic leaders. At this point, I can't tell which is which.

If their goal was to force Obey to blow his stack, they came close, but the appropriations chairman largely maintained his cool (relatively speaking).

And to be fair, conservatives fought harder than anyone (particularly most members of the leadership) to earn these concessions, and they weren't present for any of the negotiations between the two leaders.