U.S. House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. John Spratt (C) receives copies of the FY2011 budget proposal in Washington, Feb. 1, 2010 (Getty Images)

CONGRESSMAN ACCEPTS COPIES OF OBAMA’S PROPOSED $5.4 TRILLION SPENDING PLAN

The federal government’s budget is now, quite literally, in South Carolina Congressman John Spratt’s liberal hands.

As is customary, President Barack Obama on Monday formally delivered — through a legislative aide — his proposed budget for the 2011 fiscal year, which begins in October.

Spratt, who heads the House Budget Committee, accepted copies of Obama’s proposed $5.4 trillion budget… in a very staged media event, I might add. But Obama’s budget is little more than a glorified paperweight — Spratt and Congress ultimately have complete control of America’s purse.

That makes things all the more interesting for Spratt, who has a lot on the line with this budget.

Spratt faces a tough challenge from Republican State. Sen. Mick Mulvaney, who trails the 14 term Democrat Congressman by only single digits in the conservative fifth district. And his pathetic fundriasing — only $77,000 last quarter — leaves little room for error.

Spratt has already been attacked once by the National Republican Congressional Committee for creating one of the worst federal budgets in U.S. history. If he repeats that again this year (and he likely will) then it could be “lights out” for Spratt.