Obama was in typical form Monday, doing what he does best: attacking, and not answering questions
“The problem that I’ve seen in the debate that’s been taking place and in some of these Tea Party events is, I think they’re misidentifying sort of who the culprits are here,” said Obama. “As I said before, we had to take some emergency steps last year. But the majority of economists will tell you that the emergency steps we take are not the problem long-term. The problems long-term are the problems that I talked about earlier. We had two tax cuts that weren’t paid for, two wars that weren’t paid for. We’ve got a population that’s getting older. We’re all demanding services, but our taxes have actually substantially gone down.”
“So the challenge, I think, for the Tea Party movement is to identify, specifically, what would you do?” he added. “It’s not enough just to say get control of spending. I think it’s important for you to say, I’m willing to cut veterans’ benefits or I’m willing to cut Medicare or Social Security benefits or I’m willing to see these taxes go up. What you can’t do, which is what I’ve been hearing a lot from the other side, is we’re going to control government spending, we’re going to propose $4 trillion of additional tax cuts, and that magically somehow things are going to work. Now, some of these are very difficult choices.”
Obviously, he paints spending cuts in the most unflattering terms, mentioning programs that people are generally not willing to cut. As for tax increases, does anyone think Democrats wouldn’t just spend the money? But, really, there are no difficult choices.
To start with, consider the way money is appropriated. Agencies ask for so much money. Let’s say The Federal Department of Nannyism asks for $30 billion for the fiscal year. They don’t really need $30 billion, but, they were appropriated $27 billion last year, and, as usual, they want more. In order to show they needed the $27b, they made sure to spend it all by purchasing large ticket items, paying too much for services, and just blowing what was left over on surplus. Congress says “cool, you spent it all, but, you don’t really need $30b, we’ll give you $29b.” And the whole thing repeats.
How about instead of giving so much, the DoN gets what they really need to operate, and, if they really need more, they can come back to Congress? It would force federal agencies to be more frugal and more responsible with The Peoples’ money.
Second, we can stop with wasteful spending, such as most of the Stimulus. We could cut out things like the $440,000 spent each year so Congress doesn’t have to press their own elevator buttons. $34 million spent by the Dept. Of Education to make people better shoppers? And here are $4.89 billion in wasteful projects, which include $2 million for miniature flying robot bees, Putting free WiFi, Internet kiosks and interactive history lessons in 2 Texas rest stops ($13.8 million), and a “Clown” theatrical production in Pennsylvania ($25,000). Here are 50 examples of government waste.
How about if the government stop bringing us silly ad campaigns via the Ad Council? I mean, do we really need
In a nationwide effort to reduce energy consumption, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and The Advertising Council launched a new series of public service announcements (PSAs) designed to inspire today’s youth and their parents with ways to establish positive energy efficiency practices.
Or all the other nannyism?
How about tanking the Endowment for the Arts? The Departments of Education and Agriculture, along with NASA, can be seriously reduced. How about we watch out for credit card abuse and embezzlement within federal agencies? We can stop paying contractors for cost overruns. They bid on the project for a certain amount, they can finish it for that amount. And, if they are not on time, penalize them. And don’t pay them till finished. Just like if you wanted, say, a shed or additional room built for your house.
Stop the majority of pork and earmarks. Do we really need $400,000 for construction and renovation for safety improvements at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and $1.8 million in swine odor and manure management research in Ames Iowa?
What are your recommendations?
Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU. Re-Change 2010!
Why does Obama need the “Tea Party’s” help to cut spending? As the leader of the free world, does he really not know how to lead us to reduce spending? Really?
Is anyone thinking of the movie Dave from a couple of years ago – the budget cuts he made in the movie were the same type – there are lots of little things that get put into budgets that collectively become HUGE budget items. Maybe the Tea Party should send Obama the DVD of Dave.
Barry thought he was being smart or something. The “R”‘s should just ignore his stupid prodding and questions and ignore him, like the rest of us are doing.
THEY need to set the agenda and not rise to the community organizer’s bait.
Now I can help him here. First, at any big business, when you cut you say cut and that is it. Big O should go in and say I want a 10% cut across the board. Period.
Now if he desire specfics. How about the $800,000 spent on teaching African men how to clean themsleves? For that matter, elimiate all payment going offshore. Now eliminate the DEA, EPA, OSHA, reduce the FDA, eliminate all the czars and their agencies, reduce the FBI, reduce of eliminate Homeland Security, and so on. As to use seniors, the money I paid into SS is in a trust. He doesn’t have to worry with it. Of course if they spent that money, then lets get it back from the congressmen that took it.
No more earmarks.
You’re there to pass needed laws, not hand out party favors to help with your re-election.
Use your own money for that.
Nick, Maureen, you really think Obama and the Dems are anyway interested in cutting spending or tax cuts?!!?!? hahahahaah. This is the way they want it. They like this country and economy exactly the way it is. Actually, they are still ramping up. They aint done yet.
David and Mojo.. amen.
Might I present you with the so-called Republican’s “pledge”?
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/247475/we-ll-take-pledge-editors
-Stop all earmarks
-Stop all subsidies (they should be illegal anyway)
-Stop all foreign aid to all but allies (england, israel, australia,etc)
-Stop giving tax breaks to companies. (except for energy companies for next 10 years to find and develop new finds)
-Force Congress to pay for all campaigning themselves.
-Force congressional candidates who have the president speak at their events, reimburse the security detail for the cost.
-End the lifetime retirement benefit for anyone with less than 4 terms in senate and 6 in house.
-If presidents want to take vacations beyond the presidential retreat or their homes, they must reimburse the nation for travel costs.
-INstitute the flat tax of 20% across the board for everyone above 20,000. No exemptions. That will take a sticky note to pay your taxes. And a sticky note to write the law.
-Repeal death and estate taxes.
-Repeal gains taxes.
-Pass an amendment to affirm what is already in the Constitution stating that what is not given to the Feds is reserved to the states or the people. Bar any attempt to legislate “Well, the Constitution doesn’t say we CAN’T do such a thing!”
-Pass an amendment barring anchor babies. Citizenship can only be conferred onto a child born in the US if one of the parent’s attached to the child is an American citizen.
-Pass law stating no federal resources will be provided or given to illegals UNLESS they volunteer for the ARMY or MARINES for 5 years.
-Eliminate the Dept of Energy, Dept human services, Dept of Education, Agriculture, Transportation, and probably about 30 others. Send that power back down to the states where it belongs.
-I would keep NASA, but hire another 50 auditors for them.
Ok, that was just off the top of my head. Give me time and I’ll triple it.