Bush's Budget
visit the congressional record, select Feb 6th in the "House" column, then select item "19 . BUDGET OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2009--MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (H. DOC. NO. 110-84)"
This is the most interesting stuff I've seen from Bush:
"One of the best ways to reduce waste and increase accountability is to make Federal spending more transparent. To help Americans see where their money is being spent, we have launched a website called www.USAspending.gov"
"My Budget proposes to keep non-security discretionary spending growth below 1 percent for 2009"
"Billions of those tax dollars go to something called earmarks. Earmarks are special-interest items that are slipped into big spending bills or committee reports, often at the last hour, without discussion or debate. Last January, I asked the Congress to reform earmarks, and lawmakers took some modest steps in that direction. But they failed to end the practice of concealing earmarks in report language--and they continued to fund thousands of them. So I will take steps to advance earmark reform. I also call on the Congress to adopt the legislative line-item veto, which gives the legislative and executive branches a tool to help eliminate wasteful spending."
Though i suspect that pushing for line-item veto under the disguise of controlling spending is a ruse to get the most powerful tool a president could ask for. It would be like writing your own laws if, instead of a yes/no on a bill that passed the house and senate, you could selectively remove parts.
Now for the real priorities:
"As Commander in Chief, my highest priority is the security of the American people. So my Budget invests substantial resources to protect the United States from those who would do us harm."
"As we take these steps to address discretionary spending, we also need to confront the biggest challenge to the Federal budget: the unsustainable growth in entitlement spending. Many Americans depend on programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and we have an obligation to make sure they are sound for our children and grandchildren."
"My Budget works to slow the rate of growth of these programs in the short term, which will save $208 billion over 5 years."
There you have it - The Military gets unlimited funding. Social Services are 'slowed' because we can't afford it.
The next day, Feb 7th 2008, you seem some responses from Representatives.
" The President's budget is fiscally reckless, adding $1.6 trillion in deficit over the next 5 years instead of becoming balanced over that same period. But you won't hear that from the President. He claims that the budget is balanced by 2012, but that is only because he leaves out enormous costs, including the 5-year cost of fixing the alternative minimum tax and the full cost of the Iraq war.
When realistic costs are included, the budget runs into significant deficits over each of the next 5 years. This, unfortunately, is more of the same. The President took a 10-year surplus of $5.6 trillion that he inherited and turned it into a $3.6 trillion deficit. This budget continues down the same path by borrowing from our children and grandchildren. "(Mr. McNERNEY)
"Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, this week the President unveiled his final budget proposal, and like previous budgets, it fails to properly address the needs and concerns that are central to the everyday lives of our constituents.
Perhaps most troubling is the fact that the Bush budget continues the President's legacy of fiscal irresponsibility and leaves behind a $407 billion deficit. The five largest deficits in American history have all occurred on the President's watch. When President Bush took office, the debt stood at $5.7 trillion, and it is projected to stand at $9.7 trillion by the time President Bush leaves office."
Please make fiscal responsibility a priority when you select a candidate this November.
Also, read the congressional record. Its fun!
This is the most interesting stuff I've seen from Bush:
"One of the best ways to reduce waste and increase accountability is to make Federal spending more transparent. To help Americans see where their money is being spent, we have launched a website called www.USAspending.gov"
"My Budget proposes to keep non-security discretionary spending growth below 1 percent for 2009"
"Billions of those tax dollars go to something called earmarks. Earmarks are special-interest items that are slipped into big spending bills or committee reports, often at the last hour, without discussion or debate. Last January, I asked the Congress to reform earmarks, and lawmakers took some modest steps in that direction. But they failed to end the practice of concealing earmarks in report language--and they continued to fund thousands of them. So I will take steps to advance earmark reform. I also call on the Congress to adopt the legislative line-item veto, which gives the legislative and executive branches a tool to help eliminate wasteful spending."
Though i suspect that pushing for line-item veto under the disguise of controlling spending is a ruse to get the most powerful tool a president could ask for. It would be like writing your own laws if, instead of a yes/no on a bill that passed the house and senate, you could selectively remove parts.
Now for the real priorities:
"As Commander in Chief, my highest priority is the security of the American people. So my Budget invests substantial resources to protect the United States from those who would do us harm."
"As we take these steps to address discretionary spending, we also need to confront the biggest challenge to the Federal budget: the unsustainable growth in entitlement spending. Many Americans depend on programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and we have an obligation to make sure they are sound for our children and grandchildren."
"My Budget works to slow the rate of growth of these programs in the short term, which will save $208 billion over 5 years."
There you have it - The Military gets unlimited funding. Social Services are 'slowed' because we can't afford it.
The next day, Feb 7th 2008, you seem some responses from Representatives.
" The President's budget is fiscally reckless, adding $1.6 trillion in deficit over the next 5 years instead of becoming balanced over that same period. But you won't hear that from the President. He claims that the budget is balanced by 2012, but that is only because he leaves out enormous costs, including the 5-year cost of fixing the alternative minimum tax and the full cost of the Iraq war.
When realistic costs are included, the budget runs into significant deficits over each of the next 5 years. This, unfortunately, is more of the same. The President took a 10-year surplus of $5.6 trillion that he inherited and turned it into a $3.6 trillion deficit. This budget continues down the same path by borrowing from our children and grandchildren. "(Mr. McNERNEY)
"Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, this week the President unveiled his final budget proposal, and like previous budgets, it fails to properly address the needs and concerns that are central to the everyday lives of our constituents.
Perhaps most troubling is the fact that the Bush budget continues the President's legacy of fiscal irresponsibility and leaves behind a $407 billion deficit. The five largest deficits in American history have all occurred on the President's watch. When President Bush took office, the debt stood at $5.7 trillion, and it is projected to stand at $9.7 trillion by the time President Bush leaves office."
Please make fiscal responsibility a priority when you select a candidate this November.
Also, read the congressional record. Its fun!