Republicans appear poised to take over the House of Representatives tonight, with a potential pickup of 50 plus seats. And while politics has been front and center post election governing is starting to creep into the conversation. Deficit reduction and spending have been big issues in the election. So what will happen with a Republican House majority to federal deficits and federal spending? Interesting question.

Politico just did a story on Paul Ryan, the Budget Committee Chairman in waiting. Ryan has been a deficit hawk who has had the guts to put his ideas into print for reducing the deficit. Those ideas have been treated like radioactive waste by his fellow Republicans. Now he will be heading the Budget Committee. Just saw Haley Barbour on Morning Joe already laying the groundwork for continued deficit spending under a Republican Congress. Election is not yet over and the excuses are flowing already. I will post the Barbour clip later. But the question that I have is this: When will a Republican Congress FILE a balanced budget? Now before all the apologists get all up in arms I said FILE, not pass. When will they produce a “roadmap” to balance? How long will it take, and what difficult decisions need to be made to get us there? And will a Republican Congress vote in January to raise the “debt ceiling”? There is a big difference between throwing rocks and governing. The Republicans are about to find out what that difference really is. And they will find out without many Democratic votes in the House. Lets see how they do.