Obama budget would cut or end 120 government programs, saving as much as $17B

[babylonsister]

Another campaign promise addressed!


Obama budget would cut or end 120 government programs

By David Lightman | McClatchy Newspapers



WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama plans to unveil Thursday a fiscal 2010 budget full of details on his plans to save as much as $17 billion by cutting — and in some cases ending — about 120 government programs.

The goal, said White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, is "identifying and ending programs that are unneeded and don't work."

The most likely targets include a host of education and housing programs, as well as smaller efforts to deal with mine cleanup, cotton storage and community leadership training.

Earlier this year, for instance, the federal Office of Management and Budget said that it wanted to end the Resource Conservation and Development Program, which has provided such community leadership training since 1962.

"After 47 years," OMB said in a statement, "this goal has been accomplished."

The proposals are expected to be included in a new White House book of terminations, reductions and savings, as well as a separate "appendix" detailing line by line spending. Next week, the administration expects to release a volume of "analytical perspectives" explaining its decisions more fully, as well as new tables outlining its projections for spending, taxes and deficits.

more...

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/67639.html

[BlooInBloo]

1. So nice having an adult in the White House.

[vaberella]

2. He said he would...and he's following through. n/t

[AtomicKitten]

3. As the economy deteriorates, there will be greater need for those safety nets.

The Republics and Blue Dog ConservaDems won't be satisfied with anything less than a streamlined (reads: cruel) policy toward those most in need. :(

[Deja Q]

4. The republicants won't be pleased despite his cutting of these programs.

:shrug:

Still, I don't know completely what they are so I can't say anything just yet.

[babylonsister]

7. They're not going to be pleased about ANYTHING, so hopefully

our president recognizes that and is going forward anyway.

[babylonsister]

8. What safety nets? They're ending programs that aren't

needed and/or don't work.

[AtomicKitten]

31. Harkin has his reservations.

from the article:

Harkin, for instance, heads a subcommittee that considers spending in the labor, health, human services and education areas, and he's a strong advocate for such programs. He didn't want to comment specifically on any of Obama's proposed cuts, and couldn't instantly think of any program that deserved to be terminated.

On edit: I don't mean to be Debbie Downer, but after running some errands for the food bank I volunteer for and seeing people really in need, I'm genuinely concerned. Not "concerned" as in trying to stick a shiv in Obama concerned, but mindful of what's happening out there concerned.

[HopeOverFear]

5. Coming soon to a DU messageboard near you: WHY IS OBAMA CUTTING SO-AND-SO??!!!

"blah blah poutrage blah blah"

[BlooInBloo]

9. Yup.

[ClarkUSA]

15. You'd Better Believe It.

[firedupdem]

23. +20 n/t

[Clio the Leo]

27. I already have my protective helment and flack jacket on order. :-) NT

[Cha]

6. I guess those "education and housing programs"

weren't working for some reason. Remember when we use to read about outrageous government spending for silly stuff? I do.

This sounds good..

"The president has also pledged changes in how the government buys materials and goods from the private sector, including an OMB vow that "critical government functions will not be performed by the private sector for purely ideological reasons." Republican administrations since Ronald Reagan's outsourced many federal functions to the private sector."

[BlooInBloo]

12. Either lack of need (for the cost) or lack of effectiveness (for the cost)...

I'm sure Team Obama also compared those issues against other ways of skinning the cat. And what came out of that is what came out of that.

I do hope that the rationales for each cut are provided, if for no other reason than just to have something handy to smack those who only want to whine around with.

[Cha]

13. I'm sure they will have

reasons for it. This is really exciting that they're doing this..I remember in his speeches when he said this and I was wondering if any other admin in history had tried it?

[blueclown]

10. No cuts in the Pentagon budget?

[babylonsister]

11. This isn't the defense budget, and yes, there were cuts. nt

[blueclown]

14. Small cuts and large additions to the budget. n/t

[babylonsister]

16. If you know, why'd you ask? I get it-nevermind.

:eyes:

[salguine]

17. You know, getting out of iraq and closing down all the

military bases we have in over a hundred countries would save a hell of a lot more than $17 billion.

[Hippo_Tron]

18. I hate to say this, but big fucking whoop...

The federal budget for FY 2008 was a little less than 3 trillion. That is about .57 of one percent of the federal budget. The federal budget is spent mostly on Defense and Entitlements not the Resource Conservation and Development Program. If we're serious about addressing the deficit either taxes need to be raised or one or both of those areas need to be cut. It's really that simple.

[islandgirl808]

19. i have to remind myself - babysteps

17b don't seem much compared to the deficit, but at least it's something :thumbsup:

[Kdillard]

21. Exactly I am not sure why people are not understanding that at the moment.

It is a step in the right direction and little by little things add up.

[Old Hank]

20. 17 billion out of a 3.6 trillion budget

What percentage is that?

[Dreamer Tatum]

22. 48 basis points...less than 1/2 of 1 percent

This is nothing to gloat about, unless one wants to look silly.

[chollybocker]

24. Now. can we cut every program with the words 'faith-based' attached to it?

Intrinsically un-American and utterly wasteful.

[Canuckistanian]

26. No. 1 on my list

If I were the President.

[bbinacan]

25. 17 Billion?

That's tip money based on the new spending.

[Vidar]

28. Seventeen billion when we're flushing trillions down The Wall Street sewer. Who cares?

[HopeOverFear]

29. Welcome, Naysayers! What took you so long? Come in, have a seat.

[avaistheone1]

32. There nothing naysayer about stating facts.

Why go off topic?

[babylonsister]

35. So go state your facts elsewhere-start your own thread.

Why is it that every time a possible positive thread is introduced, people like you have to appear to crap all over it?

Why can't you appreciate good things happening-why only bad? Honestly, is that all you know how to do?

[avaistheone1]

36. lol A little touchy aren't we?

Reread the posts. Your comments should be directed to Vidar not to me. Why do you think your personal attacks on Vidar and others who don't agree with your views are a positive thing?

The facts are the facts. Deal with them. If you can make lemons out of lemonade by all means do so.

[joshcryer]

30. Good, hopefully most are faith based initiatives.

;)

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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