House Approves Ryan Plan, GOP's Budget Blueprint

Washington - The House of Representatives, on a largely party line vote, Friday approved a Republican vision of America's future that would change how seniors and lower income people get health coverage, lower taxes for the wealthy and dramatically cut federal spending.

The vote for the plan was 235 to 193. All the yes votes were Republican, but four GOP lawmakers joined 189 Democrats in opposition. The budget now goes to the Democratic-run Senate, where it's expected to go nowhere.

The budget blueprint will survive, though, as the GOP's chief line in the fiscal sand as the 2012 political campaign unfolds. This budget, most Republican lawmakers said with their votes, is where we stand, and it's a sharp contrast to vision offered by President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats.

The Republican plan would cut $4.4 trillion from anticipated deficits over 10 years. Obama would cut $4 trillion over 12 years.

Both sides touted their views as politically beneficial — and, they said, devastating to their opponents.

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