AP sources: Obama to seek freeze on part of budget

chron.com ^ | 1/25/10 | BEN FELLER and ANDREW TAYLOR Associated Press Writers

[Nachum]

WASHINGTON — Facing voter anger over mounting budget deficits, President Barack Obama will ask Congress to freeze spending for some domestic programs for three years beginning in 2011, administration officials said Monday. Separately, Obama unveiled plans to help a middle class "under assault" pay its bills, save for retirement and care for kids and aging parents.

The spending freeze would apply to a relatively small portion of the federal budget, affecting a $477 billion pot of money available for domestic agencies whose budgets are approved by Congress each year. Some of those agencies could get increases, others would have to face cuts; such programs got an almost 10 percent increase this year. The federal budget total was $3.5 trillion.

[Nachum]

The list, ping

[cripplecreek]

In other words, he’s saying one thing and congress will do another.

[Nachum]

Obama’s ‘ freeze” would shave no more than $15 billion off next year’s budget - barely denting a deficit projected to exceed $1 trillion for the third year in a row

[Ingtar]

He’ll probably freeze/cut Defense, Homeland Security, matching funds for GOP... that sort of thing that he considers unnecessary.

[EagleUSA]

This is a joke. They guy really thinks people are THAT stupid. He will save a few billion while working to borrow and spending another trillion....hello????

Is the whole DemoRAT party going to walk off the cliff with this “Carter-FDR hybrid on steroids”?

[Oceander]

That's nothing more than a drop in the drop in the bucket.

[Palladin]

More lies, prevarication, and sleight of hand.

[pieceofthepuzzle]

An ironic consequence of this is that many of those who voted for Obama in part because he would throw more money their way (e.g. federal grant recipients from various agencies, such as the NIH, NSR, etc.) may see their budgets stagnate or decrease under this administration. The academics who support Obama-type health care reform should realize that the budget deficits Obama-type health care would engender would eat into every other federal budget item, including grants to academics and universities.

[Jet Jaguar]

All depts got 25 to 50% increases on 2009. So a freeze on their budgets is just that. No cuts whatsoever.

[goodnesswins]

I haven’ figured this out...but....wouldn’t this be like a family saving 10 cents on an $80,000 annual budget???

[Nachum]

Just more “transparency”...

[SDShack]

The Hope N Change express keeps on rolling. More like the Hypocrisy Express! First 0zer0 announces more “goodies” for the middle class this morning, then announces a budget freeze tonight! I thought 0zer0 was going to “pivot” and focus on “jobs, jobs, jobs” after his healthcare debacle. I can’t wait to hear what Pelosi and Reid think about a 2nd stimulus now - LOL.

I just took a visit at Huff Post and DU. There is weeping and gnashing of teeth like you can’t believe. You’ll be able to spot every libturd tomorrow from their lack of hair after pulling it all out tonight. OMG- they are all saying this is what McCain campaigned on, and can’t figure out why their savior has forsaken them - ROFLMAO.

[goldstategop]

Congress is NOT going to cut popular programs in an election year. Why should the Democrats stick their necks out for Obama?

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find only things evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelogus

[goldstategop]

I'd like to see Jim Rob post the debate videos over at the Huffington Post - the debate videos between Obama and McCain. You'd NEVER, NEVER, NEVER guess in a million years who was then AGAINST a spending freeze?

LMAO! The serial hypocrite has finally come full circle.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find only things evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelogus

[Eva]

Governor Gregoire of WA has issued a statement urging Congress to pass Obamacare. She says that she is counting on almost one billion dollars from the feds to balance her state budget, 6 hundred million of that for health care from the Obamacare bill and the rest from the new stimulus bill. Gregoire makes the Louisiana purchase sound like nothing.

[Diana in Wisconsin]