Comment #3

time*treat — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 05:41:48 GMT

This "freeze" isn't going to be allowed to happen. I'd give my view of why & how, but then I'd have the MiBs at my door asking what I know and how do I know it.

Comment #2

konane — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 05:33:50 GMT

Oh yeah that's really going to reel in spending.

Comment #1

jarasan — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 01:51:17 GMT

http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs041.htm<br />In March 2009, the average earnings for full-time Federal employees were $74,403 compared with $40331 in the private sector.<br />The number of federal workers earning six-figure salaries has exploded during the recession.<br />Federal employees making salaries of $100,000 or more jumped from 14% to 19% of civil servants during the recession's first 18 months â€” and that's before overtime pay and bonuses are counted.<br />Federal workers are enjoying an... [ More ]

Original Blog Entry: Obama: Now Congress Must Pay For What It Spends

truesee — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 23:30:45 GMT

Obama Weekly Address: Now Congress Will 'Pay For What It Spends, Just Like Everybody Else

DARLENE SUPERVILLE

02/13/10 02:09 PM |

WASHINGTON President Barack Obama said Saturday new budget rules that say spending cuts must accompany spending increases will force Congress to pay for what it spends, just like everybody else.

Obama signed a bill Friday reinstating budget rules known as paygo short for pay as you go.

In place during the 1990s, the rules helped create balanced budgets and surpluses. Obama blames eliminating them for creating much of the $1.3 trillion deficit he faced upon taking office in January 2009 and for a total debt of $8 trillion projected over the next decade.

The president has been trying to show a public alarmed by higher government spending in the midst of an economic downturn that he is taking steps to tighten Washington's purse strings.

But the bill also lifted the cap on the amount of money the U.S. can borrow by $1.9 trillion to a total of $14.3 trillion. The ceiling was lifted from $12.4 trillion to keep the U.S. from going into default.

In his weekly radio and Internet address, Obama said the politics of the moment often overwhelms the desire Democrats and Republicans have to produce balanced budgets something the federal government legally is not required to do.

Now, Congress will have to pay for what it spends, just like everybody else, he said.

Obama did not discuss raising the debt ceiling in his message.

The president also repeated a promise to create, by executive order, a panel of Democrats and Republicans to suggest ways for closing the gap between what the government spends and what it collects in revenue. His proposal is weaker than a similar plan recently defeated by the Senate because Congress would not be required to vote on the presidential panel's recommendations.

Obama was expected to sign the executive order as early as next week.

The administration is projecting a $1.56 trillion deficit for the budget year ending Sept. 30.

Republicans mocked Obama for signing the paygo bill behind closed doors.

With a simple stroke of his pen, President Obama now has the ability to continue his binge spending agenda to the tune of an additional $1.9 trillion, the largest one-time increase in our history, Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele said Friday. Taxpayers will continue to foot the bill for the Democrats' fiscal irresponsibility.

Obama address: http://www.whitehouse.gov

... [ More ]