Hedge fund managers could see their income taxes double, ending the "carried interest" break that has many of them paying a top rate of just 15 percent. Couples making more than $250,000 would see rates snap back to the Clinton-era 39.6 percent and the value of deductions for charitable giving and other items decline. Home health providers, hospitals, insurance companies and more would see their payments cut under Medicare.

Wealthier people would have to pay higher premiums for Medicare drugs. Financial institutions would lose subsidies for providing student loans. Oil and gas companies will lose $30 billion in tax breaks. And industries large and small would soon have to buy the right to emit carbon dioxide as part of the climate change legislation.

"It takes on more vested interests than any other budget I've seen in this town in 30 years," said Robert Greenstein, executive director of the left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. "It is really going to help the bottom line of a lot of the K Street lobbying firms."

The budget also has plenty of perk for other powerful interests - including a down payment for universal health care, tax cuts for most Americans, the prevention of a cut in doctors' pay and historic increases in renewable energy, education and health research.

See the full story at http://www.rollcall.com/