Here’s the way I look at President Obama’s proposed 2014 federal budget.

If both sides are angry with him, he must have done something right.

http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/budget/292851-obama-to-unveil-1058t-budget

Obama released his budget today to groans from conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats. He wants the rich to pay more in taxes because, the president said, he doesn’t want to reignite the economy “on the backs of the middle class.” That notion has angered Republicans who think the rich pay enough in taxes already. Obama also wants to overhaul Medicare and Social Security by reducing the rate of growth in both those programs. That proposal has drawn the wrath of liberal Democrats who consider those programs to be immune to any change.

The proposed budget projects a deficit of “only” $744 billion. Think about that for a minute. When did a budget deficit of less than a trillion dollars seem like an improvement? But it is, given the size of the deficit over the past half-dozen years or so.

I haven’t yet heard any remarks from lawmakers such as, “The president’s budget is ‘dead on arrival’ on Capitol Hill.” At least not yet. Presidential budgets never emerge on the other side in the form they are presented. Congress has the right, indeed the obligation, to tinker and mess with them. This Congress no doubt will do that with Obama’s proposed budget.

But legislating involves making some people angry. President Obama has done that with his budget proposal. He’s ticked ‘em off on both ends of the political see-saw.

In my view, that’s a positive sign. Barack Obama is learning how to compromise.