Posted on 01/25/2010 5:12:16 PM PST by My Favorite Headache
Washington (CNN) - In a move that could help position him in the political center by sharpening his credentials on fiscal discipline, President Obama will announce in Wednesday's State of Union address that he's proposing to save $250 billion by freezing all non-security federal discretionary spending for three years, according to two senior administration officials.
The senior officials said the budgets of the departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs along with some international programs would be exempt from the spending freeze. "We are at war, and we're going to make sure our troops are funded adequately," said one of the senior officials.
The officials would not reveal the details of which specific domestic programs would be cut as they prepare to face major pushback from liberals in the president's own party because popular education and health spending could be on the chopping block. The details will be officially unveiled next Monday, when the president publicly releases his next budget blueprint for fiscal year 2011 (which starts October 1) and beyond.
"We've got to make some tough decisions," said the second senior official. "Everybody is not going to get what they want."
Under the proposal, which will need to be approved by both houses of Congress, all federal discretionary spending would be frozen at its current level of $447 billion per year. Within that parameter, however, individual federal agencies would have the power to give some programs increases, while cutting money elsewhere.
(Excerpt) Read more at politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com ...
Obama has just given us 2010. The left will be all over him now.
Yeah right... like the Rats are going to go along with this.
Why freeze spending at levels that are already unsustainable?
That says it all. Add “discretionary” to the list of words Obama doesn’t know the meaning of.
He’s already spent it all, right?
This might be a dumb question but does this mean no health care, stiumulus or cap and tax or is it just words as usual
Discretionary spending. You mean like the million that Pelosi and a hundred or so hangers on spent for two unproductive days of face time in Copenhagen for the Climategate summit. The money that even CBS news found to be to egregious to cover up?
My opinion is he is just trying to out maneuver Republicans, and get the "Stupid Party" to go along with massive tax increases.
I bet the Pubbies go along too. They are THAT stupid.
Big freaking deal. Non-discretionary spending takes up almost 3/4 of the total budget. Freezing it at the current astronomical level is 100% for show. It means nothing, it’s impact is negligible, yet the MSM and liberal sock puppets will say ‘now he’s getting tough on spending.’
Total bs crock of crap, the media will run with it, it won’t do anything.
Does this mean he will put the ‘’freeze’’ on the ‘’ Cap and trade ‘’ bill, the ‘’ Obama care’’ bill, etc?!,,,,,I didn’t think so!
Loser! If you’re trying to describe that kind of person who just can’t get anything right, who’s always slow to figure things out, who is doomed to come in last:
That’s a loser. Only one ‘o’ in that, like a big zero.
Discretionary spending =
A) Foreign aid to despots.
B) Bribery payments to the UN.
C) Salaries to Congress.
$250 billion is chump change compared to the tab this Administration has rung up in just the last year.
Obama is going to run center left to save his majorities in the Congress
As soon as 2010 is over back to being his true shelf
Marxist in Chief
Under the proposal, which will need to be approved by both houses of Congress..
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.