Thread: Combative Obama vows to fight for his budget

Combative Obama vows to fight for his budget
President prepared for strong opposition from interest groups, GOP


WASHINGTON - A combative President Barack Obama warned on Saturday he was bracing for a fight against powerful lobbyists and special interests who sought to pick apart the $3.55 trillion budget he proposed to advance his agenda.

Obama's spending blueprint, with its massive deficit and tax hikes on the wealthy, seeks to squeeze billions of dollars in savings out of current spending through competitive bidding among health insurers and ending subsidies and tax breaks for banks, agribusiness and oil companies.

"These steps won't sit well with the special interests and lobbyists who are invested in the old way of doing business," the president said in his weekly radio and video address.
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"I know they're gearing up for a fight as we speak," he said. "My message to them is this: So am I."

GOP on 'tough choices'
Republicans, in their radio response, warned that Democratic spending priorities threaten to destroy the American dream that hard work can build a better life for each successive generation of citizens.

"This week, the president submitted to Congress the single largest increase in federal spending in the history of the United States, while driving the deficit to levels that were once thought impossible," said Senator Richard Burr.


"Now, instead of working hard so our children can have a better life tomorrow, we are asking our children to work hard so that we don't have to make tough choices today," Burr said.

Obama said his budget blueprint delivered on the changes he promised in his election campaign: tax cuts for 95 percent of working Americans, a rollback in tax breaks for people making over $250,000, lower healthcare costs, education reform and an expansion in the use of clean, renewable energy.

The president said his budget also reflected the fact the United States faces a financial crisis, a costly recession and a trillion dollar deficit.

"Given this reality, we'll have to be more vigilant than ever in eliminating the programs we don't need in order to make room for the investments we do need," he said.

'Dramatic change'
He said a page-by-page examination of the federal budget had already identified $2 trillion in potential savings over 10 years.

"I realize that passing this budget won't be easy," Obama said. "Because it represents real and dramatic change, it also represents a threat to the status quo in Washington."


The insurance industry would not like having to bid competitively to participate in the Medicare coverage program for the elderly, but it is needed to protect the program and reduce costs, Obama said.

He said banks and big student lenders would not like losing their taxpayer subsidies, but it would save nearly $50 billion and make college more affordable.

And he said oil and gas companies wouldn't like losing $30 billion in tax breaks, but it was needed to fund renewable energy research.


"The system we have now might work for the powerful and well-connected interests that have run Washington for far too long, but I don't. I work for the American people," Obama said.

"I didn't come here to do the same thing we've been doing or to take small steps forward, I came to provide the sweeping change that this country demanded when it went to the polls in November."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29443138/

A combative President Barack Obama warned on Saturday he was bracing for a fight against powerful lobbyists and special interests who sought to pick apart the $3.55 trillion budget he proposed to advance his agenda.

HAHAHA what a clown! He doesn't seem to mind bending over for special interests (laraza) and powerful lobbyists (acorn) now, does he? Hey Baraky, why not tell laraza and acorn to stuff it? Then maybe I'll believe you.

TEA PARTY!!!

What fight? The Democrats are going to give him what he wants.

It should be called the Luau Budget



For the Hawaiian who wants all the Pork they can pass.

Dixie

The funniest thing he said in the whole article is that he works for the American people...............WHAT A LOAD OF BS........HE is a puppet for the globalists!

Obama can pass it ONLY if HE personally pays for it.

"The system we have now might work for the powerful and well-connected interests that have run Washington for far too long, but I don't. I work for the American people," Obama said.

"I didn't come here to do the same thing we've been doing or to take small steps forward, I came to provide the sweeping change that this country demanded when it went to the polls in November."

Well, you're not working for me and what change I wanted wasn't socialism or worse. I didn't want my entire country changed. or my Constitution messed with. I don't need a big Daddy dictating what I can and cannot do. Like to keep my rights, thank you very much. And from what I'm hearing out here....there's just a special group of people who seems to believe anything you are doing, they will be the only ones entitled to benefitting from. So thanks, but no thanks.

And one of the sources of savings he proposes is to cut Medicare payments to doctors and hospitals. It's hard enough finding a physician or facility that accepts Medicare patients because the payment now is too low. This would effectively shut out Medicare patients from the medical system.

Originally Posted by ReggieMay

And one of the sources of savings he proposes is to cut Medicare payments to doctors and hospitals. It's hard enough finding a physician or facility that accepts Medicare patients because the payment now is too low. This would effectively shut out Medicare patients from the medical system.

Maybe that's their goal. What will happen is that the new doctors, fresh out of medical school and immigrant physicians will become the main source of treatment. There aren't enough physicians, hospitals or nurses in the Nation to even consider National Health Care. Canada has around 33 million people and they have to rely on the U.S. for a lot of treatment. Elective treatments become very difficult to get and can stretch out years, waiting in line.

Whatever the goal is, it is not for the good of the American people, we are at the bottom of the list on everything.