Trickery Behind Obama’s 2011 Budget

Reader Comments
Back to blog

All the self-proclaimed financial experts are crying for budget cuts in our domestic programs which hurt the very people who pay into the system (i.e., social security, medicare, etc). My question is, why don't we start with slashing all foreign aid to zero until we get our own house in order? Instead, I am watching our leaders give away trillions to foreign governments and the United Nations in order to make themselves feel important to the rest of the world while we pick up the tab. A recent example, Hillary is promising we will rebuild Haiti. With what? Just think we could also stop all the foreign travel (family junkets) that our congress declares important to do their job to protect and defend US.

Fran of TX 12:42PM February 20, 2010

For years I've heard radio announcers, liberals and professional individuals complain about how the government supports and runs the social security system and about the recipients who recieve the S.S. benefits. To hear these cry babies, a person could swear that it was money taken from their pockets and given to street beggers rather than the seniors that are entitled to the benefits. But what bothers me are the individuals that complain the most, are professionals in their field and very ignorant about the S.S. system, because they have already achieved a comfortable economic level that through education or NEPOTISM they feel they have the right to critize others that are not as fortunate as they. Millions of Americans that are receiving S.S. are seniors that had contributed like taxes, into the system for years by having a portion of their salary deducted and deposited into the program. At one time when the seniors were younger and probably needed the money for what they considered more important issues they may have also complained about the S.S. system and that the monies that were being deducted from their salaries was being wasted by the government. But what many of these individuals don't understand is that the monies deposited into the S.S. fund belongs to the depositor and is not to be used by the government for any other purpose. The S.S. program is a retirement plan, and monies from the fund is to be returned to the depositor when it is time for them to retire. And considering that only recently there have been a surge of millions of dollars stolen in retirement funds by unscrupulous individuals and investment organizations that have been bailed out by the government I'm certain that many retired seniors who at one time may have complained about the S.S. system are thankful, though they may not be affluant or wealthy that their benefits are still intact. But there is also credence in what many Americans complain about. Because .. it is true that there are many organizations, that sponsor foreigners who have not contributed one dime into the S.S. fund but are yet receiving benefits that they and their families are not entitled to by taking advantage of the American system. Unlike welfare .. everyone whether American or not can get onto the rolls. All the applicant has to do is show evidence that they are either sponsored or unable to work because of some physical or mental ailment that impedes their being employed on a permanent basis. WHAT A BUNCH OF CROCK!!! Have you seen some of the people on welfare? Drug addicts (that buy drugs rather than feeding and clothing their children), pimps, prostitutes, street hustlers, boyfriends and girlfriends that live off the recipients welfare checks. And foreigners fresh off the boat that complain about America and the way we live, and who distance themselves from us. But are always in the welfare lines to TAKE THE AMERICAN DOLLAR! That's where your tax dollars go. Think about it!!!

BORN AMERICAN of CA 6:35PM February 07, 2010

After watching a documentary on T. V. about global warming I learned that the last ice age,as explained by scientists, was caused by volcanoes and earth quakes that precipitated an earthquake and meteorites. Both cause huge amounts of debris to be blasted into the upper atmosphere and this blocks out the sunlight from reaching the surface of the earth. So at the risk of sounding like chicken little and declare that the sky is falling we better be sure we don't cool the earth to much and then have a massive volcano drop our temp enough to cause another ice age. Do we really know how to control the temp of the earth when it can go into another ice age by one big volcanic blast or one big meteor strike? One massive volcanic explosion and our effect on the temperature of the earth will seem rather insignificant!

Lee Hansen of MI 9:22PM February 06, 2010

The proposed budget of the Dems. has numbers that the scientific minds call infinity. To put it into perspective a billion dollars is equal to a pile of $100 dollar bills stacked on one another that would reach 23 miles high. 3.6 trillion is 1000 stacks that are 23miles high x3 6! When our economy was booming and people were working long hours and paying big taxes the government had a tax base to run the governments on all the levels. The Feds. the state, the county and the cities. The recession has hit the workers but the federal government is exempt from hard times, they just print more money!! I say, careful The Germans did that before W.W. 2 and they had hyper inflation. The money became worthless and the people turned to bartering and no taxes were paid yet the people still did business. Perhaps our politicians, and M.B.A's that advise them need a lesson in history to see the error of their ways! Printing money didn't help the Germans then and it won't help us! One day the people and countries that loan us the money by buying our debt will figure out that we can't pay the INTEREST on our debt! Then we are bankrupt. We do have M.B.A.'s advising our politicians right? Careful!!

Lee Hansen of MI 8:17PM February 06, 2010

There's more than an Obama problem in this mad budget; there's a WH problem. Who's advising? Is this budget for real ? Are WH advisors also self destructive? Send this thing back for revision and let's get real! This is bizarre!

Claudette of WI 11:12AM February 06, 2010

These are some of the articles that show that Obama did the fiscal year 2010 budget, and part of the fiscal year 2009 budget. The part of the 2009 budget done by Obama was done in an Omnibus spending bill because the funding had not been done the previous year. Congress specifically wanted to wait till after the new administration was in, and the new Congress. As I recall in October 2008 they signed a continuing funding bill that covered through March 6th, 2009 at 2008 levels.
Three of the bills were signed under Bush, the rest of the 15 appropriations bill were done under Obama for 2009.
--------------
APRIL 3, 2009
Congress Approves Obama's $3.6 Trillion Budget
“WASHINGTON -- The House and Senate Thursday approved their versions of a fiscal 2010 budget that included President Barack Obama's biggest priorities, giving the president a significant victory as he works to shift the government's direction from the Bush era.”
March 11, 2009
Obama signs massive, 'imperfect' spending bill
“WASHINGTON - Calling it an "imperfect" bill, President Barack Obama signed a $410 billion spending package Wednesday that includes billions in earmarks like those he promised to curb in last year's campaign.”
...
“The 1,132-page bill has an extraordinary reach, wrapping together nine spending bills to fund the annual operating budgets of every Cabinet department except Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs.”
…
“The $410 billion bill includes significant increases in food aid for the poor, energy research and other programs. It was supposed to have been completed last fall, but Democrats opted against election-year battles with Republicans and former President George W. Bush.”

win of IL 11:58AM February 05, 2010

In MY OPINION,, I THINK OBAMA IS AN IDIOT AND IS LOSING IT AND NEEDS TO SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP, I THINK HE'S READY FOR A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN,. HE'S PUSHING THIS COUNTRY RIGHT DOWN THE TOILET. HE LIES WORSE THE A FIRST GRADER.HE IS BY FAR THE WORSE PRESIDNT WE HAVE EVER HAD.INSTEAD OF WANTING TO CUT S.S.I. AND MEDICARE, HE SHOULD TAKE SOME OF THE TRILLIONS HE WANTS FOR PORK SPENDING AND PUT IT INTO S.S.I AND MEDICARE SO SOME OF OUT OLDER PEOPLE CAN PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE. I JUST CANT UNDERSTAND WHY HE'S SO AGAINST THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND AMERICA.WAIT, I THINK I KNOW WHY, BECAUSE WE WILL BE SUPPORTING HIS BUTT FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE AND HE COULD CARE LESS ABOUT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. HE WANTED CHANGE? MAYBE SOMEONE SHOULD CHANGE HIS DIAPER BECAUSE HE ACTS LIKE A BABY.I THINK HE'D BE GREAT AS ONE OF THE 3 STOOGES,,, LARRY, CURLY AND OBAMA

TONY BELL of OH 11:12AM February 05, 2010

The 2010 budget was done under Obama. Bush submitted one, but it was never approved. Later Obama revised it, really replaced it, and Congress then approved the new one.
Please look back in news archives.

win of IL 10:56AM February 05, 2010

Only three of the 15 appropriations bills were done under Bush. Congress passed continuing funding bills for the rest at 2008 levels to cover until March 2009. The rest were done under Obama. I researched old news articles, because I remembered this but wanted to confirm my memory.
So while normally the 2009 budget would have been done under Bush, that was not the case this year.
Another point, Obama did get half of the Bush TARP, and many of the funds paid out under Bush were paid back under Obama.

win of IL 10:54AM February 05, 2010

Thank you pointing that out. So many just do not seem to understand that the 2010 budget was done in 2009 under Bush as each year's budget is done the prior year. That IS the way a budget works.
Soon they will start on the 2011 budget. Seems like people are expecting miracles and that the projected 8 trillion deficit that Bush left Obama with can just be instantly reversed.

Barb of TX 2:28AM February 05, 2010