As if Americans are not getting enough good news about the U.S. economy, the Congressional Budget Office just came out with the projected estimate for the 2010 federal deficit. It is projected to hit a whopping $1.35 trillion.

Fortunately, President Obama has a solution to our economic woes. Although we endured a government spending spree including a $787 billion stimulus package by the Obama administration, the President has now reversed course and has come up with a spending freeze — excluding entitlement programs such as Medicare and Social Security, International affairs, homeland security, defense spending and veterans affairs — as a solution. The proposed freeze would cap our current discretionary spending level each year to $447 billion.

The flip-flopping is leading some to suggest that the "hope and change" administration's competency maybe in question. Says Jeffrey Sachs, an economist and director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University: “A little bit of disarray, it seems. Last year, just spend, throw everything into a stimulus package ... and then this year, just across-the-board freeze. Frankly, the government has to make better choices and better plans than throwing things into a big pot in one year and then freezing across the board the next year."

Those sentiments were echoed by Michael Steel, a spokesman for House Minority Leader John Boehner. "Given Washington Democrats' unprecedented spending binge, this is like announcing you're going on a diet after winning a pie-eating contest," Steel remarked.

In truth, such a freeze as the one proposed is little more than symbolic, a public relations ploy to insulate the President from criticism. The fact is that federal spending is a Congressional matter, and as long as Congress is packed with big spending politicians the bloating of the federal government will continue.

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (4)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Show/Hide comments

rprew said:

LOL (actually COL - crying out loud) I heard the "savings" could amount to $250 billion over the next 10 years. Big deal! The last "stimulus" was three times that and took considerably less than one year. Obamacare is projected at $1 trillion (four times as much) over the next 10 years (and that projection is probably off by a factor of four). How about making some REAL cuts? Abandon any more stimulus programs, bank bailouts, auto manufacturer bailouts, international handouts, homeland security, Iraqi defense, Afghani defense, and a long list of unconstitutional entitlements. I wanted to say "Penny wise and pound foolish", but big government doesn't even do too well in the "penny wise" department.

report abuse vote down vote up

January 26, 2010
Votes: +3

Pat Henry said:

	Constitution anyone? A 447 billion "fiscal conservative." Wow. Sounds like a Republican.
	report abuse vote down vote up

January 26, 2010
Votes: +3

Dwight lane said:

... Making me laugh for sure! He puts in a spending freeze AFTER he increased spending levels for multiple programs that fall under "discretionary". I guess now with the freeze, there won't be a need to decrease the previous increase in program spending!! Absolutely hypocritical! Well anyway, the latest out of Britain is that the British gov't has a plan to end sovereignty here in the U.S. just like all the other countries in Europe so they can advance their empire!!! Pretty sure we have some sellouts in our own gov't to help accomplish that :) Let your elected officials know about it and give them your opinion.

report abuse vote down vote up

January 26, 2010
Votes: +1

Lee Gonzales said:

... The John Birch Society staff caughtthis ploy when they state: " In truth, such a freeze as the one proposed is little more than symbolic, a public relations ploy to insulate the President from criticism. The fact is that federal spending is a Congressional matter," The president can propose cuts and even make budget recommendations but Congress has the ultimate say so. Until we send fiscal conservatives to the House and Senate, but especically the House, the JBS staff writers sum it correctly: "as long as Congress is packed with big spending politicians the bloating of the federal government will continue." I caught Ron Paul on Larry King Live and he said the budget can be cut by bringing the troops home immediately. Robert Riech who was the other Larry King Live guest spit and sputtered like a war hawk Neo Con.

report abuse vote down vote up

January 26, 2010
Votes: +1