It’s not only the size of the sequester that has House Republicans fretting. It’s not like the GOP expects the stock market to plummet or furloughs across the federal government to drive up unemployment.

House Republicans fear the massive spending cuts set to take effect Friday will result in Congress continuing to cede its constitutional power of the purse.

Republicans are fretting that the $85 billion in cuts will transfer big power to the administration. Lawmakers say President Barack Obama’s administration will have unilateral leeway to shutter federal programs and spend the government’s money without any input from them.

The argument is just emerging, and ignores the idea that many Republicans now support the sequester cuts as a way for the government to tighten its belt, barring any better budget-reduction plan. It also belies the reality that Republicans largely supported the sequester idea to begin with when it first passed Congress as part of debt ceiling negotiations in summer 2011.

But as the spending cuts become real, Republicans are crying foul and worry the sequester will be used to implement a host of Obama’s top priorities.

The GOP fear was cemented this week when the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency freed illegal immigrants who were detained — ICE officials said they did so to save money before the sequester hit. The administration denied involvement, but Republicans were buzzing that the executive branch and agencies will take drastic actions to force the GOP to the negotiating table.

(Also on POLITICO: Sequester showdown: Obama summons Hill leaders)

Some Republicans think Obama will add money to support his health care law.

“One of the things that they mention is that we’ve been able to control spending in Obamacare, and if we give [the White House] flexibility, they may fund all these parts of Obamacare we don’t want to fund,” Appropriations Committee Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) said.

Others think the Office of Management and Budget will shutter programs in certain congressional districts to pressure lawmakers.

“I’ve watched this administration for two years up close and personal, and they will absolutely behave in ways that are intensely political,” Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.) said.

“The president having ability to reprogram, which means the ability to punish his enemies and reward his friends, is beyond any reasonable constitutional justification,” Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) said.

[Failed witch-hunter Issa can try to restyle this, but it's been clear all along that allowing the sequester to go forward would require our nation's administrator to implement the cuts--that's the President's job under his discretionary spending function of money that's been allocated by Congress. But, I do hope they're right that Obama WILL use this to force some members of Congress to act a bit more in the interest of their constituents than that of their power backers.]

Entire article at link below. A dem