Obama Spending Freeze Lands on Hill with Thud

[cali]

January 26, 2010 2:26 PM


Abc_Jonathan_Karl_081203_mn ABC News' Jonathan Karl reports:
The president’s proposed discretionary spending freeze has hit Capitol Hill with a thud.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said, simply, that she looks forward to “examining the details” of the proposed freeze.

And Democratic senators, especially liberals and committee chairmen, have been astonishingly direct in hammering the idea as unwise (because of the need for more economic stimulus) and unfair (because it exempts Defense spending).

Here’s a sampling of what some lawmakers are saying:

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA): “Why exclude Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans’ Affairs? Don’t tell me there’s not waste in those programs – a lot of waste.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT): “At a time when people are going hungry and our educational system is crumbling, do we want to cut back or freeze these programs? No.”

Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee: “As much as I want to support the president, I have doubts.”

Sen. Pat Leahy (D-VT): “I worry about symbolism. They talked about a balanced budget amendment under Reagan and tripled the deficit. Sometimes you need more than symbolism.”

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH): “I am concerned that the people who are most hurting in the country will be hurt by this.”

Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD): “I think Defense spending needs to be controlled too.”

Sen. John Kerry (D-MA): Said he likes the idea, but worries that a freeze “prevents you from doing what needs to be done,” in areas such as job creation and energy.

Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA): “It’s hard to implement … The devil is in the details.”

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI): “My first priority is creating jobs. I don’t want a spending freeze on anything that is focused on jobs.”

Supporters of the idea seem to be limited to a group of moderates, Republicans and Democrats up for re-election:

<snip>

http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2010/01/obama-spending-freeze-lands-on-hill-with-thud.html

[bigtree]

1. doa, I think

Too many folks there with pet projects they hope to slip through on one of the omnibus bills. Rescission (modified, enhanced) has been the only alternative which had a chance of working. Either you give line-item-type power to the president or expect Congress to regulate themselves. That's where they should lock horns.

. . . but, damn if that doesn't sound like Reagan's Stockman demanding a line-item veto. Old Bob Byrd says (correctly, I think) that the spending power lies firmly in the hands of the legislative branch, but that line has already been crossed . . .

[cali]

2. I think so too.

I hope so.

[shraby]

3. The big trouble with a line-item veto, is it turns the

president into a dictator.

[bigtree]

5. enhanced rescission is the closest Congress has come to moderating their authority

"The President can propose to rescind (permanently cancel) budget authority. In the case of rescissions, Congress has 45 calendar days (of continuous session excluding 3-day recess periods) within which to approve these rescissions. If Congress does not enact legislation to approve the proposed rescissions, in whole or in part, the President must make the funds available for expenditure. The Congress can substitute its own rescissions for the President's proposal, and often has. Under this process, there is no requirement that Congress consider and vote on the President's proposed rescissions."


http://www.thomas.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/?&sid=cp1048G4aK&refer=&r_n=sr009.104&db_id=104&item=&sel=TOC_11852&

[MadHound]

4. Good, I hope it dies a swift and ignominious death

Any proposed cuts that do not include the military are inherently unjust. We shouldn't be sacrificing our people on the altar of war.

[Vattel]

6. Stabenow is so right

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI): “My first priority is creating jobs. I don’t want a spending freeze on anything that is focused on jobs.”

And as for Defense spending being exempted, will our nation ever get past its adolescent love of all things military?

[asdjrocky]

7. What a stupid and obvious gimmick.

How stupid does he really think we are?