With a number of expensive bills moving through Congress this year, some Democrats, such as the fiscally conservative Blue Dog coalition, could become jittery. But Rep. Jim Cooper (D., Tenn.), a prominent Blue Dog, had high praise for the president's budget blueprint Thursday, saying it dispensed with the gimmicks of previous years.We'll see how the Blue Dogs triangulate with Republican angst as the budget process goes along.
Under George W. Bush, for example, the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan weren't included in the budget but were paid for in so-called supplemental spending bills.
"This is more honest than any budget in many, many years," Mr. Cooper said. "That also means it's also ugly. I welcome the honesty. I think it's time for Americans to grapple with fundamental problems and not pretend that wars are free and things like that."
Democratic leaders said they would like to pass a budget resolution by April 3, an unusually rapid schedule. After they return from their spring recess, the appropriations committees will start writing the specific spending bills for next year.
Mr. Cooper, of Tennessee, also praised the administration for projecting the budget out for 10 years, providing a more complete picture. "You need an accurate diagnosis before you can have the cure," Mr. Cooper said. "It takes courage to give that diagnosis. A lot of people don't want to hear it."
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Friday, February 27, 2009
Cooper Supports Obama's First Budget for Now
According to this morning's Wall Street Journal:
No dice, Cooper.
ReplyDeleteYou still suck and we're still going to do what we can to be rid of you.
Kissing ass now will not one feather on your Republican Lite hide.
snip.....
"Congress members up for re-election in 2010 may have more opponents to battle besides whomever lands on the ballot against them.
Accountability Now PAC is a new political action committee that plans to target incumbents in their primary races, the group says. The PAC's new executive director, Jeff Hauser, says the liberal group will mount primary challenges against incumbents who become "more responsive to corporate America than to their constituents."
"We need members of Congress to leave the bubble of Washington, D.C., and stand with their constituents," says Jane Hamsher, one of Accountability Now's co-founders.
Loosening ties between corporations and Congress will allow President Obama to tackle several campaign promises, such as withdrawing troops from Iraq and providing affordable health care, Hauser said. Those are two issues at the top of Obama's agenda this week. The president is at Camp Lejeune today to discuss his plan to leave Iraq by August 2010 and yesterday he released a budget that creates a $634 billion fund over 10 years to greatly expand health care coverage for Americans.
Joining the effort are groups including MoveOn, the Service Employees International Union, DailyKos, ColorOfChange.org, Democracy for America, 21st Century Democrats, and BlogPAC."
Taxing the rich at 100% won't pay for Obama's budget. The Wall Street Journal has reported that taxing the rich at 100% won't pay for Obama's budget. Barack Obama promised not to raise taxes on anyone making under $250,000 per year. Where is he going to get the money? The numbers indicate Obama will need to take 100% of the income of everyone making over $75,000.
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