(Updated) "Today, progressives have an opportunity not just to fight benefit cuts -- but also to go 'on offense' against the Republicans."

UPDATE: "Only McDermott opposes budget compromise" (seattlepi.com):

Seven of Washington’s nine House members voted Thursday to approve the shutdown-averting budget compromise hammered out between the White House and GOP House leaders.

Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash., voted against it. Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Wash., has been absent from the House: The congressman’s 91-year-old mother died early this week from pancreatic cancer.

The deal passed the House of a 260-167 vote. Fifty-nine Republicans bolted and voted against the agreement negotiated by their leaders: Votes from 81 Democratic supporters were crucial to passage.

“I supported this budget compromise because it takes a balanced approach towards tackling our debt and deficit problem while preserving our economic progress and critical job creation efforts,” said Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash.

The funding plan reduces federal agency budgets by $38 billion for the remainder of the 2011 fiscal year. MORE...

BOLD PROGRESSIVES.ORG:

This week, President Obama gave a powerful speech -- one that MSNBC's Rachel Maddow called "unexpectedly satisfying."

He made the case for raising taxes on the rich and even cutting military spending. He also dismissed Republican plans to privatize Medicare. All of this deserves genuine praise.

However, the president did not take off the table all Medicare and Medicaid benefit cuts that would hurt grandparents, the disabled, and kids. Maddow said the strong parts of Obama's speech must be "matched by equal resoluteness in practice when the battles heat up." We agree -- and we'll keep pushing him to oppose all benefit cuts.

Today, progressives have an opportunity not just to fight benefit cuts -- but also to go "on offense" against the Republicans.

A last-minute House vote has been scheduled this morning on the "People's Budget" proposed by the Congressional Progressive Caucus. It protects Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid -- and eliminates the deficit by ending the wars, taxing the rich, saving money with a public health insurance option, and making corporations like GE pay their fair share.

(Are you saying "wow!" right now? Us too!)

Please call Representative Jim McDermott right now in support the "People's Budget." Click here for the number and a script.