Today in Washington, D.C. - Feb 15, 2011 - Obama Budget Blasted From All Sides

Yesterday, the Senate confirmed two district court judges. Today, the resumed consideration of S. 223, the FAA reauthorization bill. The Senate voted 98-0 on an amendment from Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) criminalizing the redistribution of TSA screening images. However the Senate defeated 47-51 an amendment by Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) which have prohibit TSA employees from joining unions.

Yesterday, the ARRA News Service focused on Republican and watchdog groups opposition to the the budget proposal by President Obama. Today we review more news stories and potential - although limited - opposition by Democrats to the WH budget proposal. However, first we must mention Speaker Boehner's rseponnse:
President Obama’s budget will destroy jobs by spending too much, taxing too much, and borrowing too much.  His budget calls for more failed ‘stimulus’ spending, and job-crushing tax hikes on families and small businesses.  It borrows more from countries like China and crowds out private investment that creates jobs.  This isn’t winning the future, it’s spending the future.

“Republicans are focused on creating a better environment for economic growth and job creation.  This week, I sent the president a statement signed by 150 economists calling for spending cuts to help reduce uncertainty and get our economy back to creating jobs.  This week, we will go beyond our Pledge to America and cut at least $100 billion in discretionary spending over the next seven months by comparison to the president’s FY11 budget request, rather than doing so over the course of a full fiscal year. There are more cuts to come, in contrast to the Obama Administration’s request to increase the national debt limit and keep the spending binge going. In the coming weeks, Chairman Ryan will offer a comprehensive budget for the next fiscal year that will contrast sharply with the president’s job-crushing budget.

“We need to liberate our economy from the shackles of big government – not bury our children and grandchildren under a mountain of debt.”President Obama’s budget for the 2012 fiscal year was roundly panned by members of Congress and editorial boards alike over the last two days. The Los Angeles Times editorial board summarized the overall reaction: “President Obama’s budget for fiscal year 2012 landed with a thud Monday, laying out short- and long-term tax and spending plans that disappointed lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. The proposal was a remarkably tame response to Washington’s fiscal problems, not the bold statement about belt-tightening that the White House had suggested was coming. Yet the biggest shortcoming is that it all but ignored the most important long-term financial challenge, which is the growing cost of entitlements such as Medicare and Medicaid.”

The Wall Street Journal editors add, “This was supposed to be the moment we were all waiting for. After three years of historic deficits that have added almost $4.5 trillion to the national debt, President Obama was finally going to get serious about fiscal discipline. Instead, what landed on Congress’s doorstep on Monday was a White House budget that increases deficits above the spending baseline for the next two years.”

Across the country, editorial boards slammed the president for avoiding any tough choices and failing to address serious fiscal problems. The Washington Post declares, “The president punted.” And USA Today says “He whiffed.” The Wall Street Journal blasts Obama, writing, “Hosni Mubarak was more in touch with reality last Thursday night.” Others were little kinder. The Denver Post points out, “Obama called the proposal one of ‘tough choices and sacrifices,’ yet it does not confront entitlements and continues to act as if government spending is the way to prosperity.” USA Today writes, “It’s becoming hard not to conclude that Obama doesn’t much care about the debt threat or has decided to wait until after the 2012 elections. Either would be a shame, and economically risky.” And The Detroit News says, “What we’re getting from the Obama administration is one of those weight loss programs that pretend it can shrink your waistline while allowing you to eat whatever you like. In this case, the president assures us we can gorge on Keynesian treats and still someday get back into our Clinton-era jeans.”

The Washington Post’s Dana Milbank blasts Obama’s budget, too, writing, “Obama’s budget proposal is a remarkably weak and timid document. He proposes to cut only $1.1 trillion from federal deficits over the next decade - a pittance when you consider that the deficit this year alone is in the neighborhood of $1.5 trillion. The president makes no serious attempt at cutting entitlement programs that threaten to drive the government into insolvency.”

And at least one Senate Democrat seems to agree. The Hill reports, “Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) slammed President Obama's budget proposal Tuesday, saying it doesn't go far enough given the nation's soaring debt. ‘What we have is a budget proposal from the president designed to get our attention, but given our fiscal challenges, it does not go far enough,’ Manchin said in a statement. ‘This is not what the country needs or expects.’”

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