Let's see: President Barack Hussein Obama's 2013 budget was defeated 414-0. Not even one Democrat voted for it. Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-WI) budget resolution was passed 228-191.
On Tuesday, April 3, 2012, Obama spoke to the Associated Press, saying his budget prevented disaster. Obama, focusing on Ryan's proposed budget cuts, said they mean Americans will be dying from starvation and defenseless from hurricanes and other natural disasters. So let's examine what he said:
- Nearly 10 million college students would see their financial aid cut by an average of more than $1,000 each.
- There would be 1,600 fewer medical grants; research grants for things like Alzheimer's and cancer and AIDS.
- There would be 4,000 fewer scientific research grants, eliminating support for 48,000 researchers, students, and teachers.
- Investments in clean energy technologies that are helping us reduce our dependence on foreign oil would be cut by nearly a fifth.
- Over 200,000 children would lose their chance to get an early education in the Head Start program.
- Two million mothers and young children would be cut from a program that gives them access to healthy food.
- There would be 4,500 fewer federal grants at the Department of Justice and the FBI to combat violent crime, financial crime, and help secure our borders.
- Hundreds of national parks would be forced to close for part or all of the year.
- We wouldn't have the capacity to enforce the laws that protect the air we breathe, the water we drink, or the food that we eat.
- Cuts to the FAA would likely result in more flight cancellations, delays, and the complete elimination of air traffic control services in parts of the country.
- Our weather forecasts would become less accurate because we wouldn't be able to afford to launch new satellites, meaning governors and mayors would have to wait longer to order evacuations in the event of a hurricane.
Obama continued, "... there is no secret plan or formula that will be able to protect the investments we need to help our economy grow." Isn't it ironic that he would use the words "economy grow" since we are still waiting, after over three years of his policies, to see the economy grow?
Article comments
1 - Dr Joseph S Maresca
We need to have higher taxes on junk food consumption to do anything dramatic on containing health care costs and reducing avoidable conditions like childhood diabetes.
Soda companies need to start reducing sugar content from the nearly 40 grams of sugar to 18 grams or less per can of soda. These steps could go a long way to resolving many of the health problems and runaway costs discussed.
We need to get back to required gymnastics in the grammar schools, high schools and yes colleges.
2 - Glenn Contrarian
Warren -
I really wish you'd bone up on your history. The president whose budget wound up with the highest deficit in American history was NOT Obama - it was George W. Bush. The 2009 budget (as is every budget in the first year of a new president) was submitted by the outgoing president. Obama's deficits have always been LOWER than Bush's 2009 budget.
That, and you're griping about all the spending cuts? That's a hoot! Why? Because YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR...and if you're not willing to have taxes raised to the point where we can pay for those items, then you're not going to get those items. But it's now Republican religious dogma that Thou Shalt Not Raise Taxes (even though Reagan did so not once, but several times).
3 - Mark
In response to your comment, "Isn't it ironic that he would use the words "economy grow" since we are still waiting, after over three years of his policies, to see the economy grow?"
Have you not looked at the GDP lately? The economy has been growing since 2009. The GDP fell from 2008-2009, but rose back above 2008 figures by 2010. Do some real research...