November 9th, 2011
10:01 AM ET
Cutting government waste-start with the swag! As Americans continue to struggle with their personal budgets in a fragile economy, President Obama is taking steps Wednesday to cut billions of dollars in what the White House terms wasteful spending in the federal budget. Targeting areas such as government travel, the doling out of smart phones and laptops to government workers and limiting who gets a free car for official duties, the plan builds on the Campaign to Cut Waste program which the administration says has already saved $8.5 billion. An administration official tells CNN the new cuts could save billions more. Wednesday the president will sign an executive order, once again bypassing Congress, to expand an already existing administration program to cut waste and promote efficient spending across the federal government according to an official release from the White House. The latest plan aims to cut spending by 20% on travel, technology and federal vehicles. The administration is directing agencies to cut back on travel and conference-related spending and instead use video conferences and webinars. For instance the administration says NASA has cut its travel budget $17 million in 2012 by cutting back on the number of people it sends to conferences and even having employees share rental cars on trips. The government will also be taking a close look at who gets those coveted technology toys. Smart phones, I-Pads and laptops will all come under scrutiny. The White House says agencies like the Department of Commerce have already cut back here, saving $3 million this year by just disconnecting 2,648 wireless lines that hadn't been used in the past 3 months. Turns out many of those phones had been given to people who retired or quit their jobs and the accounts had never been turned off. And all those chauffeured official vehicles cruising the streets of DC—no more! The administration says it costs $9 million a year for all ofWashington's official cars. Agencies will be tasked to cut back on this perk too. The government will also cut back on wasteful printing and instead use email or post items on line. Finally don't look for those free mugs with your favorite agency logo anymore. Agencies are being told to "avoid purchasing goods that are frivolous or unnecessary". The edict: no more clothing items (t-shirts, hats), mugs and "non-work related gadgets" for promotional purposes. While the administration is cutting costs the savings won’t go toward cutting the debt or deficit. All the savings will be reinvested. “The billions that is no longer spent on unnecessary travel, printing, IT devices, or other extraneous items – will allow us to focus our resources on the things that really matter, like supporting veterans and our armed forces, and investing in our nation’s infrastructure to help grow the economy,” an administration official told CNN. Bottom line– cut the swag! |
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And here come the lies from Frank Luntz/fox media with the inflated fictitious costs of Obama's vacations, travel, clothes, food, security, toilet paper, etc. as presented by their minions (morons) – pulled right out of their butts.
“Obama spent $5 billion dollars to fly to Europe” – such children, do they ever think before they bleat?
So what has he spent, a dollar ninety eight??? - He like a teenager with daddy's credit card – A moron who couldn't run a lemonade stand without going on the hole.....A true Marxist–
Oh shut up! Any President would have a hard time fixing things after Bush. It's your fault you Republicans voted that buffoon for 2 terms. What you see now is eight years in the making, and it's not getting fixed in 3 years.
When you have something to contribute to the conversation other than baseless name calling let me know.
He's not even a pretend Marxist.
Can you please provide a correct definition of a Marxist (without using cut and paste). Thought not.
Can you please learn how to speak before you even attempt intelligent conversation?
You got that right ! Obama did this and Obama did that ! That is all they have to say. How about the republican congress that spouts such fiscal responcibility cut their costs by getting rid of all those staffers and their lobbist friends !
Every president inherits the ills of his predecessors; the difference is in how they deal with it. In Obama’s case, badly.
His rallying cry should be "Damn the Torpedoes full speed ahead. When 75% of the population is in opposition to his policies he should rethink those policies. He has diminished this country in the eyes of both our allies and enemies alike.
Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 is to be awarded to President Barack Obama for WHAT? Apologizing to every third rate dictator in the world for all of Americas past transgressions? What a joke.
The biggest gov't spender in the history of mankind telling his colleges to cut spending – priceless!
You are correct sir! If the President wants to impress we Americans he must impress us with GOOD JUDGMENT!
Great Job Obama. At least you're showing us that you're not only a man of words, but also of ACTION.
Ah, didn't he promise this 3 YEARS AGO? Oh, that's right he's campaigning....AGAIN!
Look idiot...are you at all aware of everything that has been going on with this country for the past three years????? The man has been super busy dumb azz. The country was falling off the cliff thanks to Bush and the GOP. We had Two wars a meltdown in the financial sector, folks thrown out of houses and near flu pandemic, hurriances and oil spills and the first tiem in history a health care objective for everyone not just those who made it rich off steaiing money from the poor. Damn you sound like a lil bitch!!! the man did a good job saving the nation and there is so much more still to be done. So shut your racist anti dem, anti middle class biotch azz up!!!
yes, it took awhile to get to this but thank god he is doing it now. But he tried to get some backing. All he ever hears is NO from the republicians so now he has to override all of the bafoons. Lets hope he goes into entitlements of congress and the house next!
It's time to put this TWO FACE Obama out of office !
It's time to put this TWO FACE LIER Obama out of office !
yeah.. you got that right till the "action" part–but he is sure full of words.
You've got to be joking! He's had three years to start cutting the waste, why is it now. Oh! Campigning! Have to fool the people into thinking he's doing a good job.
Duh, "Juan"... note the quote from the article "to expand an already existing administration program to cut waste and promote efficient spending across the federal government"....Been doing it for nearly 3 years now, Juan. Take off your Fact Filterning Glasses which are standard issue to the Republican ranks and read/think for yourself for God's sake!!!
Maybe he had more important things on his mind like trying to put the economy back together after it was destroyed by your party.
Funny that when Obama doesn't do things, he is defunct. However when he does, he is "campaigning". Maybe... just maybe... he is doing what something called his JOB!
He does this as he's getting ready to head on yet another tax-payer funded vacation. You got that right, he's a man of action alright. And his actions don't quite line up with what he expects everyone else's actions to be.
He must be doing a pretty good job if that is the best you can come up with. OMG he took a vacation. He must be a socialist. I hate to break it to you but Bush took vacations too.
Maybe you should go back and reread the budget. All of his vacations are paid for by him not our tax dollars. The tax dollars only pay for state business trips like going to the G20 etc. His campain pays for travel for campaining. Learn the truth before you speak lies.
and your vacations are on the backs of your company. so when you take them should someone complain.
this man is the president and is afforded perks like every other president as they should be.
No one took more vacations than G.W. Bush!
Not to mention all the parties W threw. Including the white tie ball he threw for the Queen of England. He spent millions on parties at the white house.
If BO was a man of action wouldnt he have done this 3 years ago?
He was little busy trying to wrap up the Iraq war, getting the healthcare bill passed, and wasting VALUABLE time addressing the birth certificate issue. Oh and trying to pass a jobs bill that Congress rooster-tetris'ed. Oh and proposing a budget cut plan.
Idiot ! so America came to being 3 years ago?
Guess you don't read well. "The plan builds on the Campaign to Cut Waste program which the administration says has already saved $8.5 billion."
@ p, no you idiot he is saying why wait until you have an election to start making good on campain promises. Cutting waste is something he could have done on day one if he wanted wanted too.
he wasn't in office until Jan 2009. 2011 – 2009 = 2 years.
you moron, he had a lot bigger issues 3 years ago
That’s right he had bigger issues, like creating a better economy, which he has not done. Instead he passed a health care law that will fall way short of what it should have done, and costs trillions that it did not have to. When a company has money problems they have to cut back, When a house hold has money problems they have to cut back. $8.5 billion in cuts is nothing to $4 trillion in spending. But every little bit counts. Time for big cuts.
It takes time to clean up George W.'s mess. It took him 8 years to create it. How come you expect Obama to clean it all up in 3 years?
Cause he's only got 4
what a petty...small thing for you to say.
Obama policies are not far off from the socialist model that is failing in Europe. President Barack Obama and Congress must take a hard look at the policies it's been pursuing since last year and take corrective measures to reduce America's long-term debt and eliminate as much deficit spending as possible. Raises taxes will not help. Obama stated on ABC news that "everyone knows you don't raise taxes in a recession". I worry that your so party loyal you fail to see the facts and the cronyism of this administration: fast and furious, the green energy failed loans that tax payers are now on the hook for, the take-over of student loans, etc. I am a moderate, but the dems are loosing a lot of us and we are leaning toward more moderate republicans because it seems like the democrats are anti business and divisive. If we don't stop the spending we will be like Greece. Its just ridiculous. The democrats in the super committee are proposing new spending along with tax cuts. SPENDING? Just insane to most of us. ITs the spending that is the problem.
Uh, no.
This isn't nearly as important as health care reform, financial sector reform, or drawing down in Iraq. He can't do everything at once, especially when Republicans try to stop everything he does with undemocratic tactics (e.g. filibuster).
He couldn't do it 3 years ago because he hadn't yet increased all those forms of waste up to the level where these cuts are possible. Try comparing Obama's "savings" to what was spent before he took office and you'll see a very different result.
Also note the "reinvested" detail. Not a penny of these "savings" will go against the deficit. It all gets wasted elsewhere.
But no doubt this new bureaucracy dedicated to moving the wasteful spending around will be funded by new spending, not by cuts elsewhere.
He tried to work with Congress to fix gridlock. I think it was a bit idealistic, but it is what he said he wanted to do and he sure tried it. Problem is, the entire GOP together is not half the man the President is. Am I thrilled with what he has done? Not too much. But it is way better than GeeDub did and he will be better than any of the GOP yahoos competing to show how little they use higher brain functions.
Right lets increase the deficit by another few trillions, just don't tell anyone. I just love Airforce One, will use it as often as possible.
Are you suggesting that the President fly commercial now? Were you worried about Air Force One when all other presidents used it?
Well at least he's not using his Presidential power and money to spend EVERY weekend in Crawford..
Hey Lizzie. Bush and Regan both doubled the national debt. I don't mean that it doubled between the two of them. I mean they both doubled it during each of their terms individually. They quadrupled the debt between them. Why weren't you concerned then? Are you using a different standard to judge the current president than you would to judge a republican president?
Well, I guess we will just need the President and we can get rid of the Congress since the President can bypass it. The problem is as a leader, Obama is lacking of the leadership skill to lead the nation forward, he has done talking more than doing, balming more than building up, he can not bring these two parties together, like his campaign slogan "Change the Culture of the Washington" insted he make it worse. That is one of the major reason why the country is still in bad shapes after 3 years, the Congress has never been so divided, and the people are so discontended. it doen't matter is a head of the household, a mayor, a governor, or CEO, eventually, you are the one who should be blame, because it is under your watch. Both the Prime Minstry of the Greece and Italy have been resigned. To what point where our country is getting so bad that Obama is going to admit he is responsible, like a man, instead of pointing finger all over?
In two words Shut up.
Well said!!
Executive Orders do bypass Congress but they can be repealed by congress and retracted via the Supreme Court if declared to be unconstitutional. A lot of presidents have used Executive Orders. And if you are blaming Obama for Congress then you seriously needs to take classes in Politics. Last time I checked the American people voted who goes into Congress. If they aren't working together then it's YOUR responsiblity to call your representative and tell him to cut the partisan penis waving and start working.
Well said, Albert. Obama is a terrible president. America needs a real leader who will actually do something for the country's people.
Yaaaaawn, save us the speech. According to your logic it's allllll obamas fault. Bad, bad, bad obama. Get your head out of your a&$!!! Idiot...
So you blame Obama for this? I suppose you think if there is a Republican president instead, the Republicans will stop stone walling and come around. Could be right, since the Democrats have always been less likely to stone wall.
Another post by another person thinks he knows what he's talking about. If you followed Washington politics closely since Obama was elected you would know he tried very hard from day one to establish a cooperative and bipartisan relationship. The Republicans have done nothing but use delay tactics and rhetoric while demonizing our current president. At a time when everyone should be behind the person we elected to lead this country they have instead decided to divide us for political gain. Jobs, jobs, jobs is all we heard from the Republicans and that got them the majority in Congress. What the hell have they done about job since I got the majority? They've been nothing but chase cultural ideologies that further divide our country. The unfortunate part is there are too many people like you who vote for politicians who only have corporations and the rich on their agenda. It's like watching a couple getting divorced and your only blaming one person for the mess you see and unfortunately you're blaming the wrong person.
Yet another executive order . He has to at least LOOK like he's doing something . Gotta get those votes somehow . He sure can't run on his accomplishments . Fail .
It does show his lack of lead ship skills, if he had any congress would be working together like they should. But obumer has pushed his agenda on all his party that is the problem.
The problem with this Country for the past three years has been the THREE STOOGES, namely, Boehner, Cantor and McConnell.
I think you've got it backwards. Boehner, Mcconnel and Cantor think THEY are the Executive and Legislative branches both. They simply ignore and look the other way as if the president doesn't exist. It is a classic male tactic to ignore everyone but their club. Kinda like the Palmetto Club.
oh Albert,wake up... if the POTUS could manage the government like a business, he'd have long ago fired Boehner/Cantor/McConnell a long time ago because all they do is undermine the process, don't provide any solutions, and whine when they don't get their way. in the private sector those people are referred to as cancers, and are usually "fired"
Your right, Obama did say he was going to change the way DC worked, unfortunately his dance partner, the GOP, has done nothing to change as they've played their same game over and over, and we all know what doing the same thing over and over and getting the same results is called
And what has the House done except block Obama?
Where was all the hype when the other 1st ladies traveled, and was they trying to do anything postive or was it all about them . it's seems that the problem is racial–Never in my 48 years have I heard so much about a president and his decision to handle anything. We all are going to HEAVEN even though we are forgetting the most cruical thing that is to love. I never read that it was a certain race you had to Love. It stated that we should each and everyone. It seems that if the Pres. and 1st Lady go to the toilet people have a problem with that. Which one of the genius spent millions of dollars for a toilet anyway? Get over it A Black Man is the President and he is going to continue to be President.
I read these blogs all the time and I am convinced that majority of these people 1) Live on another planet 2) Just refused to read and create opinions about what they think in their head or 3) Just uneducated ............Pick one
Congress is DIVIDED because the Republic Party only has ONE AGENDA: MAKE SURE PRESIDENT OBAMA ONLY SERVES ONE TERM!
They have absolutely no concern or thought for the suffering American people, only their political party and their job...
Everybody continues to miss the big point. It doesn't matter if it's Bush or Obama, Repub or Demo, they're all the same. They've sold out and left us hanging. They don't even care anymore that we know they have sold us out, continue to sell us out, and will sell us out in the future...meanwhile they contentedly watch all of us point fingers at each other, "It was Bush, no it was Obama" WAKE UP. We're all screwed. Solyndra, MF Global, Haliburton...all these are corps are laughing their asses off at how they continue to trick all of us right in front of our faces....Idiots.
President Barack Obama and Congress must take a hard look at the policies it's been pursuing since last year and take corrective measures to reduce America's long-term debt and eliminate as much deficit spending as possible. Raises taxes will not help. Obama stated on ABC news that "everyone knows you don't raise taxes in a recession". I worry that your so party loyal you fail to see the facts and the cronyism of this administration: fast and furious, the green energy failed loans that tax payers are now on the hook for, the take-over of student loans, etc. I am a moderate, but the dems are loosing a lot of us and we are leaning toward more moderate republicans because it seems like the democrats are anti business and divisive. If we don't stop the spending we will be like Greece. Its just ridiculous. The democrats in the super committee are proposing new spending along with tax cuts. SPENDING? Just insane to most of us. ITs the spending that is the problem.
I have to disagree. Mostly what I've heard from Obama are words of inspiration and leadership. Mostly what I have heard from republican politicians is finger pointing and blame. That said it is clear you must be a republican.
dd,
You are sooooo right. I find it sadly humorous that 99% of the people here seem to think their party is the one with all the answers. Bush or Obama, Dem or Rep, it's all pretty much the same. The whole Occupy thing kinda drives me nuts, but I can see how people get in that frame of mind. Washington D.C., and the enormous corporate dollars that fund it, has completely lost the plot, and I'm not sure how we ever fix it at this point.
Albert. It's real simple. Nothings been done because since day one of Obama being elected the only thing that has mattered to the GOP isn't the country it's,"Lets get the N1ggr out of office!" Bottom line!!!!
"...under his watch" So when he deafeted Osama why couldn't you/Repubs give him the full credit instead of thanking everyone else around him. There is discontent caused by fear when they see a President who is quietly making progress and is a minority who is finally putting the shame into the racist thinking that blacks are not intellectual. If 1 black person shows intellect it means the rest of that population is equally capable, better yet all men is alike and eqaully capable. The reason some are ahead of others is because the resources of the world have long been held by one race over others. Today we witness the effects of what slavery did yesterday. " The evil that man do lives after them, the good is oft interred in their bones...oh mighty Cesar" Mark Anthony. Some white folk are panicking because they can't handle change and they say America is going down, but its just in their heads. A bad economy is nothing new, it requires people and not government to " cut the swag" and never lose hope. This too shall pass.
Funny how Obama ordered the state department to buy thousands of copies of his book, though
OMG he bought some books with tax payer money. He must be a socialist. At least he didn't kick multibillion dollar contracts to his billionaire business buddies like the republicans did. Why weren't you outraged then?
Mr. Davis, you’re either willfully ignorant, stupid, or just uninformed. The books you are referring to were bought by the state department for embassies overseas. If you actually READ the article that was written about it, the report plainly stated that the Whitehouse/Administration has NOTHING to do with the books that are ordered for embassies. Each embassy places their own order for whatever the staff on-site determine is more useful to the US mission in that country and what is popular at the time. Perhaps if you actually read articles and state what was reported instead of spouting completely false rhetoric, you and your party would be in better shape.
Thank you Mr. President. You tried to work with an unwilling Congress and they have shown their hand. They want you to fail so much that they will bring the whole country down to do it. I am glad that you are finally sidestepping them and legislating through executive orders. I hope to see many more of these types of orders through 2012 when a new Congress is elected to work with you.
So True, those democrats in control really have been a disppointment
Couldn't this have been done earlier. Btw...stop blaming congress...he had 2 years of a "Willing" congress and the economy is still in the crapper.
I am so sick of so many buying into Obama's lies that the Republicans do nothing. They send bill after bill to the Senate, only to have Harry Reid shelf them – won't allow votes on them. Of course with the Dems having control of everything except the House, what do you expect. The dems had control of it all for Obama's first two years and refused to even do a budget! Of course Republicans don't want Obama to have another 4 years! That is no different than Democrats not wanting Bush to have a second 4 yrs. If you think the President's policies are bad for the country, you certainly don't want him to have another term. But I see a lot of work being done in the Congress, just to be halted by the Senate.
Amen to that!
Raises taxes will not help. Obama stated on ABC news that "everyone knows you don't raise taxes in a recession". I worry that your so party loyal you fail to see the facts and the cronyism of this administration: fast and furious, the green energy failed loans that tax payers are now on the hook for, the take-over of student loans, etc. I am a moderate, but the dems are loosing a lot of us and we are leaning toward more moderate republicans because it seems like the democrats are anti business and divisive. If we don't stop the spending we will be like Greece. Its just ridiculous. The democrats in the super committee are proposing new spending along with tax cuts. SPENDING? Just insane to most of us. ITs the spending that is the problem. Margaret Thatcher said it best, the problem with socialism is eventually you run out of other peoples money-exactly what is happening to Europe, and unless the democrats do the right things and agree to cutting we are witnesses are future.
You seem to forget that for the first two years of Obama's administration the Democrats controlled both house of Congress. They completely shut the Republicans out. Yet you continue to blame all of Obama's problems on the Republicans who were in control of nothing!
The blindly devoted obama worshipers are not a new phenomena. You can find celebrity worshipers, like rene, waiting for hours in the freezing cold ... just for a moment's glance of their favorite celebrity. It doesn't matter if the celebrity they fawn over is a drug addict, or beats his wife. This mindset is putty in the hands of public relations and propaganda experts. Historically, the same 'deer in the headlights' followers blindly worshiped the likes of Mao, Hitler, Stalin, and other demagogues, with a charismatic / hypnotic spell over their weak minded. Even when obama is destroying our country, right before their eyes, they insist on going down with the obama ship of fools. It might be compassionate to pity them, but for the fact that they are taking the rest of us, as well as our children down with them.
"CP" yopu are correct the President had 2 years of a working congress and guess what they actually put some legislation and recovery tactics in place that keep this country from going deeper in the hole. SInce then its been nothing but stalling.
That is why he now has a big fancy bus too, avoids taking Air Force 1 to all his campaign fundraisers.
Now cut off all foreign aid to Pakistan. Next close all tax loopholes. Next put a 33% tariff on Chinese goods.
Ditto!
33% tariff on Chinese goods? What is that going to do? Make companies move to Mexico, China, Africa... Those jobs aren't coming back here any time soon, buddy. It's called competition, and, unfortunately, you can't have competitive pricing in a lot of industries unless you have inexpensive labor and inputs, and we know American labor isn't inexpensive.
India that is, not china.
It's funny you post this from your Chinese imported electronic device of choice. Raising a tariff on this will mean that you no longer get a $400 laptop or $99 smartphone. Kick the unions out and see how affordable American produced products can be. When you are hampered by a union worker getting guaranteed raises on an already higher than salary than a non union worker in the same position, you can see how American products have quickly became to expensive.
Closing tax loopholes means stopping special interest groups and lobbyists – neither will ever happen.
Obama talks a good talk indeed. But his actions always contradict what he reads from the teleprompter.
Oh, you're such a comedian.
Or, is it the standard TP/Repub "big lie" where you keep saying some nonsense until you believe it?
Why don't YOU learn to get along with people of different opinion?
Yes, lets get along with people who have different viewpoints. You libs set the example with the OWS protests
Wow, you read into your own rhetoric a bit too much. Have you actually even been to an OWS protest? In any city? I highly doubt it. They're all just hippies and lazy losers, right? Nice to see how utterly out of touch you are with reality. I actually feel bad for you.
Obama talks a good talk indeed. But his actions always contradict what he reads from the teleprompter.....
He must think we are all stupid ! Ex order (like the one he signed for the closing of GITMO) He is always in campaign mode. He had both houses for over two years and did nothing. Why did it take three years to even sign an order that should have been SOP since day one. He just keeps putting on one show after another. I am truly sorry I fell for his Hope and change message in '08 ,but I will never vote for him again....
Max: Your sarcasm is appreciated.
It's about time he got tough!!!
Unless there is a dramatic shift in the way the European Union operates its collective economies, the crisis in Europe will set off another recession. Not to mention Obama policies are not far off from the socialist model that is failing in Europe. President Barack Obama and Congress must take a hard look at the policies it's been pursuing since last year and take corrective measures to reduce America's long-term debt and eliminate as much deficit spending as possible. Raises taxes will not help. Obama stated on ABC news that "everyone knows you don't raise taxes in a recession". I worry that your so party loyal you fail to see the facts and the cronyism of this administration: fast and furious, the green energy failed loans that tax payers are now on the hook for, the take-over of student loans, etc. I am a moderate, but the dems are loosing a lot of us and we are leaning toward more moderate republicans because it seems like the democrats are anti business and divisive. If we don't stop the spending we will be like Greece. Its just ridiculous. The democrats in the super committee are proposing new spending along with tax cuts. SPENDING? Just insane to most of us. ITs the spending that is the problem.
Yep, But will he take Pelosi's jet and scotch away??
You apparently haven't heard about the Christmas Tree Tax that was just signed. Man actions, yes. Speaking out both sides of his mouth? Also yes
I'm witing for a TAX ON ALL CHURCHES & RELIGIONS!
With all the money these businesses they have hoarded our deficit will disappear instantly!
“The Obama administration is backing a plan requiring U.S. Christmas tree growers to pay 15 cents per natural tree sold; imported producers will pay 20 cents per tree. The revenue would go exclusively toward a program that will research and promote fresh-cut Christmas trees in the United States.
But an outcry from conservative critics resulted in the Agriculture Department delaying implementation and revisiting the fee.
The Christmas tree farmers sought the levy. They have been hit by the increase in popularity of artificial and plastic trees over the past several decades, and they want to find a way to keep their businesses - mostly small family farms - going.”
CNN
Isn't online one word not two?
Are you serious? Obama wouldn't know morals or ethics if it slapped him in the face. I do love you Liberals. you make me laugh.
Forget the public relations spin, and the BILLION dollar reelection budget, coming out of the corrupt obama White House ... just notice the cost of groceries when you go shopping ... the cost of your health insurance ... and, the cost of putting gas in your car. Add this to America's credit rating going down, our 14 TRILLION dollar debt, 9+% unemployment ... and all all the other ways obama has degraded America, and you can see for yourself, that it's time to vote for ANYBODY else, rather than obama in 2012
I vote for Howard, as he has the Tea Bagger rant going at 100%!
EVERYTHING is President Obama's fault... you just gotta love a well-reasoned, logical, Tea Bagger SPIN...
Wrong Max. read cnn.com and kiss my a**.
http://www.breitbart.tv/flashback-obama-says-you-dont-raise-taxes-in-a-recession/
European Union's woes should trouble the United States. First and foremost, after suffering through one of the worst recessions in U.S. history, (caused by fannie and freddie mac-run by democrats Chris Dodd and Barney Frank under the "Community Reinvestment) America is finally beginning to emerge. Not to mention Obama's policies are not far off from the socialist model that is failing in Europe. President Barack Obama and Congress must take a hard look at the policies it's been pursuing since last year and take corrective measures to reduce America's long-term debt and eliminate as much deficit spending as possible. Raises taxes will not help. Obama stated on ABC news that "everyone knows you don't raise taxes in a recession". I worry that your so party loyal you fail to see the facts and the cronyism of this administration: fast and furious, the green energy failed loans that tax payers are now on the hook for, the take-over of student loans, etc. I am a moderate, but the dems are loosing a lot of us and we are leaning toward more moderate republicans because it seems like the democrats are anti business and divisive. If we don't stop the spending we will be like Greece. Its just ridiculous. The democrats in the super committee are proposing new spending along with tax cuts. SPENDING? Just insane to most of us. ITs the spending that is the problem. oh yeah, did you hear about the Obama christmas tree tax? yeah, that will go over well
Blah, blah, blah. The big man is cutting a few million here, a few million there. WHAT ABOUT WELFARE, FOOD STAMPS, UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS? That's where the big money is being spent. Sure, smartphone and travel perks should definitely be cut, but it doesn't come close to being satisfactory.
Just wondering if you're for real or being sarcastic. Hoping it's the latter. These miniscule "cutting costs" is a drop in the bucket. Let's start to trim real waste and stop the bailouts and $16 muffins!
The blindly devoted obama worshipers are not a new phenomena. You can find celebrity worshipers waiting for hours in the freezing cold ... just for a moment's glance of their favorite celebrity, crossing the red carpet. It doesn't matter if the celebrity they fawn over is a drug addict, or beats his wife. This mindset is putty in the hands public relations and propaganda experts. Historically, the same 'deer in the headlights' followers blindly worshiped the likes of Mao, Hitler, Stalin, and other demagogues, with a charismatic / hypnotic spell over their weak minded. Even when obama is destroying our country, right before their eyes, they insist on going down aboard the obama ship of fools. It might be compassionate to pity them, but for the fact that they are taking the rest of us, as well as our children down with them.
The blindly devoted obama worshipers are not a new phenomena. You can find celebrity worshipers waiting for hours in the freezing cold ... just for a moment's glance of their favorite celebrity. It doesn't matter if the celebrity they fawn over is a drug addict, or beats his wife. This mindset is putty in the hands of public relations and propaganda experts. Historically, the same 'deer in the headlights' followers blindly worshiped the likes of Mao, Hitler, Stalin, and other demagogues, with a charismatic / hypnotic spell over their weak minded. Even when obama is destroying our country, right before their eyes, they insist on going down with the obama ship of fools. It might be compassionate to pity them, but for the fact that they are taking the rest of us, as well as our children down with them.
He takes presidential action on things that the Republicans would openly support, while trying to push the thing through Congress that the Republicans openly oppose. He is simply doing the worst kind of politics. Now he can say that he tried to reason with the "right", but was forced to take his own action. While I agree with what is being done, the method is underhanded.
So true. Unlike many other elected officials who do a lot of talking, a lot blaming, and a lot of ranting, Obama actually WORKS at his job. About time the perks were cut back. I'd also like all of them to take a pay cut and only be elligible for a pension if they've worked for at least five years in office. And any publicly paid worker, whether elected, hired, or appointed may only claim ONE taxpayer-funded pension no matter how many public positions they've held, and that one should be from the most recent job held.
Actually his actions are making things worse. His domestic policies are substantially contributing to economic stagnation by increasing business development and operating costs with government red-tape, restrictions, limitations and regulations. Everything from Co2 to pipe-lines to small company start-ups become harder and more costly, hence fewer and fewer jobs in the U.S..... OWS should be 'occupying' the street outside the Whitehouse and the U.S. Capital....or their Statehouses...since that's where the 'blame' for economic stagnation really is.
Is he curbing his expensive family vacations and his wife's ridculous 23 aides at a cost to taxpayers of $3,500,000 a year. It is unknown how much he spends and Michelle spends on their stupid vacations. Pelosi spends tremendous amount of taxpayers dollars in AF Plane use and her alcohol stock per year. A good place to start. WILL IT HAPPEN? OF COURSE NOT.
Another made-up story by the right-wing echo chamber and you guys fall for all of it hook, line and sinker!
Isn't free speech wonderful? Especially today when individuals like yourself have a way to release pent-up hatred by spewing lies.
Where's the lie Kat?
Which lies?
Coming from a liberal apologist....not much credibility.
what lie are you refering to?
True that. I didn't see any lies on that post. There is a huge amount of waste. Pelosi was famous for her wasteful spending. When she was speaker she rode around the country in a huge Air Force jet at tax payer expense. What really needs to happen is for all government perks to go away. I am pretty sure that a fiscal conservative could go in and cut the cost to government by 30% with no reduction in services to tax payers.
@Brian in DC – lies, that's all there is, as usual.
Where is the lie ? Be specific Kat , same to the others who claim it's a lie .
Yes, the libs love free speech, except when someone wants to report a crime at the OWS protest then they threaten them, because they don't want the bad publicity. The liberals are acting more like communists everyday......
If you check closely, much of his vacations are artually paid for on his own dime.....he of course has to use the Secret Servce et al, but the lodging, meals, etcetera are on his own dime.....pay attention before you spout off all the hate!
I'm not a supporter of Obama by any means, but to be fair, any comments about how wasteful his vacations are are flat out ignorant. First of all, we don't get taxed any more for secret service's coverage of Obama's vacation. SO that point is completely irrelevant. Secondly I'm pretty sure whatever money he trimmed off his vacation would be pittance compared to what we could cut elsewhere. People should be worrying about other things-this is partisanship at its ugliest.
And I have oceanfront property in Arizona.
well his dime is our dime so any money he spends is ours. so we should not pay him anything and force him to never take a vacation.
@ NOT MY CHAIR..........According to your comment it is our tax dollars that are being used to pay the President and he is using those tax dollars we pay him to pay for his vacations and to stop him from taking vacations we should stop paying him tax dollars. If that is your case then when your company gives you your earnings for the month or week they could cut back on their cost by no longer paying you with their money in an effort to stop you from spending their money. I think you have lost track of the fact that the funds paid you and the President are given in exchange for your work as an employee. Once the funds are given to you they are no longer company funds or tax payers funds but the property of the earner.
Lizzie43 is only saying that because she is the 5th person Herman Cain sexually harassed, and she LOVED IT!
Oh brian.....were you at all concerned w/bush spedning over 40℅ of his time in office on vacation? I guess not, huh? The bushies flew to texas or main every freaking weekend for eight long years on the tax payers' dime....perhaps you just forgot? LOL
Spell check is free. I suggest you utilize it.
no they didn't forget they never cared enough to look that close when a white republican was in office
So because Bush did not hobnob with the 1% in Marthas vineyard, you're upset?
remember the vidoe of Bush looking out over the 1% chuckling "you are my base" – we do.
FYI, Usually when people bash your spelling. It's cause they are waaaaay too dumb to actually argue your points.
Are you kidding? show me the facts on that? Obama has spend far more time on vacations, and at resorts on the tax payers dime. YOu can't just make random factless charges. Classic.
Fieldfirst – got any facts to back yer ridiculous claims? Just more lies....isn't it? More lies that you'll never be held resposible for......you up tight righties spew so much misinformation......rove sure is proud of you liars!
calling someone a righty or a lefty is in my opinion a great insult. Yes bush took way to much vacation in office. YES the banks were deregulated under Bill Clinton. Yes Obama has done amazing foreign policy but he needs to look to america and executive orders are dangerous and just as much as the patriot act they both are a sign of a government that is too powerful.
Righties, lefties, indies...It's politics and EVERY side does it. Don't act like your party are a bunch angels.
facts, science, and reality just get in the way of their "creative flow" – their lies provide the only color in their tasteless black & white world.
Almost as proud as Soros is of you .
While he's at it, he can get rid of all the czars and quit adding taxes like the new Christmas tree tax(without authorization, I may add)
Lol....christmas tree tax? Been listening to the tin foil hat contingent? Where do you peeps keep yer brains? They sure are not in your head!
That's not true. Find another lie.
Christmas tree tax?!? What no Pumpkin Patch tax or No on Turkey Tax. Oh a Cinqo de Mayo Taco Tax. Ha Ha. Awesome! Thank you Jasie for the funniest thing I've heard in a while.
"Agriculture Department approves 15-cent-per-tree fee on growers to fund industry program." From the Chicago- Tribune business section.
The Christmas Tree Tax initiative started under the Bush administration in 2008; Obama has nothing to do with it. Look it up.
Xmas tree tax – that would be hilarious if it weren't so sad that you felt comfortable blurting that out in a public forum.
the only ones talking about a xmas tree tax are the same parasites talking about some one taking our guns away – GOPorate drama queens.
NVa Native. Look into it. It is in black and white on the governments website. A 17 page document. Do research before you claim others are nuts. Took me about 2 minutes on a search engine to find the document. I posted earlier about this and CNN blocked my comment. Probably because I called them out for not bringing it up as a news story.
I authorized this TAX!
Field1st: How much did larry craig spend of tax payer money to travel and try to have homosexual sex in bathrooms? How much tax payer money did tom foley spend trying to have sex with little boys?
Brian, perhaps you should have made this recommedation statement to the Bush/Cheney Adm and maybe we would not be here writing ridculous comments like yours!!! Stop being jealous!!
What the hell your problem dummy!!!! The President vacation is paid by the President and this included the food they eat in the White House. The President is given a invoice every month showing how much he owe the Government for such services and then the Government will deducted this amount from his salary. Sooo all you dummies who think the President is stealing the tax-payer money,just shut the hell up.
I think you may want to check your facts. He's living pretty large for a $400,000 a year salary then.
If this were true the President would receive no salary at all.
Thank you for pointing out the truth. I have posted this same information many times....people are just plain stupid.
The presidency is a salaried position, he even pays for his own medical insurance policy...the same as any other federal employee. The White House is like a 5 star hotel the first family receives a billing statement each month...for food, dry cleaning, hair cuts, shoe shines, travel, etc ....they are billed for anything that is not directly considered their duties related to official state business.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA funniest comment I ever read.
when you make truthful comments like that the GOP just put their fingers in their ears and say "lalalalalalalalalalalalala"
Look it up and then tell the rest of us dummies, how much Michelle reimbursed the treasury for her trips to Spain and Hawai. Is brainwashing free when you join the democrats.
"What the hell your problem dummy!!!! The President vacation is paid by the President and this included the food they eat in the White House. The President is given a invoice every month showing how much he owe the Government for such services and then the Government will deducted this amount from his salary. Sooo all you dummies who think the President is stealing the tax-payer money,just shut the hell up"
Don't know what you're smoking but that is just about the most idiotic thing I have heard in many years. You do understand the President receives additional money for all the extraneous functions he must either attend or host? You do understand that this money is tax-payer money? You do understand there is no way the President could afford to use his own money for any official function since it is against the law? You do understand that.....................You Are An Idiot?
The President doesn't pay for Air Force One, and the separate government plane for MeeShell. The President doesnt pay for the secret service and their lodging and meals. Gotta factor that in.
Sagebrush Shorty
When the president/family do eat it's on his salary but hosting dinners/vacations are at the taxpayer's expense. Just out of curiosity every president has taken vacations at the expense of the Taxpayer is the uproar at the cost? Because when any president takes a vacation or trip you have to account for his security staff, his cabinet, costs of communication, and also the rooms/houses rented out to security/staff. When we hear President's taking vacations that an individual taking something similar pays a very small fraction of what the president spends...why is it that they forget the President isn't alone?
Mike – you are missing the point – these childish rants don't have anything to do with facts, just like the clowns they support in Congress – it's all about the drama and fear so they can justify their sick and pathetic hate for America and our President.
It's true that the President gets billed for non-official perks. However, (and every President has done this) it's fairly easy to justify 75% of the bill as "official". In the end, yes, they pay...But not that much.
You're an ill-informed idiot.
no ann marie you are ill informed dummy and what is so sad,you showing everyone around the world how much you do not know how the Government work in reference to the US President and his family living in the White House. Go on Google under "How much does it cost the President to live the White House". Also did you know that the President does not have to live in the White House while he is in office. Knowledge is a dangerous tool for some people but I think you can handle it. GOOD LUCK!!
And you, Ann Marie, are and authority on ill-informed idiots.
Mike i dont think living in the 'burbs with blocked off streets roving protection, daily convoys sounds sane much less reasonable or prudent or maybe he could just get a room at the Marriot and cab to work?
Actually not all of Michelle Obama's staff are paid positions. Those receiving salaries are about 16-18.
Laura Bush had 18 to 24 staffers, Hillary Clinton 16.
The current cost for Michelle Obama's staff about $1.6 Million the cost for Laura Bush's staff $1.4 Million.
Most of this can be checked out at Fact Check .org.
Frankly Field 1st Sgt is spreading misstruths....
Brain in DC...... KatR is correct.
They pay for their own vacations as well as those that are traveling with him. The Presidency is a salaried position. He also has several successful books. He was not a broke bum that came off the streets into the White House. Do research and shut up.
Actually she has 16 dedicated staff members. To short of the 18 Mrs. Bush had. But don't let the facts get in the way of your blind hatred for our President.
All his vacations are paid on his own. Check the facts through the Congressional Budget Office .
Another bagger makes stuff up!
We have a joke in our house that some people lie like "republicans." Really, when was the last time that party told the truth about anything? At least the red states are waking up now and realizing that they've been had in 2010.
Not to mention John Boehner flys commercial.
FIELD1stSGT - LIAR, SHOW YOUR SOURCES!
YOU HAVE NONE–BECAUSE YOU'RE LYING. Bigots and worthless Americans, at least tell the truth.
Repucks first.
@Field1stSGT...Where is your proof of all of these expenses being paid for by the citizens? President Barack Obama earns a salary of $400,000 per year, along with a few bonuses like an annual expense account, a travel account and an entertainment stipend, which brings the total to over $550,000 each year.Or, is this just more speculation? Is Obama not making money from book sales? One of which has been on shelves since 1995, the other since 2006, he and his wife joint tax return was for 2.65 million in 2008, I think he can pay for his own vacations. Can he be the only president ever to have to live off of the peoples dime? Come on, get real bruh! He earned the position, won fair and square (unlike Bush), if every one else in this country who has been successful and earned their position and power can enjoy it, then why shouldn't he?Let’s compare President Obama’s net worth to other living presidents. Obama has a net worth of $5 million dollars. Former president George H. W. Bush is worth $15 million and his son George W. Bush is worth almost twice that amount at $26 mil. See out of one side of our mouths we say, "leave those innocent rich folks alone, that's not fair to them, it's their money", right? But out of the other side we expect the president to do exactly what we don't think is fair to other folks who have earned their way to success. If Obama is vacationing on our dime, did he not earn the right to do so? Every other modern ay president did, why not him? Just in case anyone missed it the econmy is growing, maybe not at the rate we want it but it is growing and has been for quite some time now since June of 2009 to be exact, that is the date when the recession was officially declared over (look it up) otherwise if the economy was not growing there would have been no talk of a "double dip". There are taliking points that are adhered to by certain folks to keep HATE, FEAR, and ANGER growing, I hope that you are not a part of that crowd but rather just a misinformed citizen.
As usual the rabid dog, frothing at the mouth Republican has entirely avoided the FACTS about Obama and vacations: FACTS are as follow:
So far, President Obama has taken 61 vacation days after 31 months in office. At this point in their presidencies, George W. Bush had spent 180 days at his ranch where his staff often joined him for meetings. And Ronald Reagan had taken 112 vacation days at his ranch.
Among recent presidents, Bill Clinton took the least time off - 28 days.
So, to recap for the LIARS/Republicans posting here..... Obama 61 vacation days, Bush almost TRIPLE that at 180 vacation days.
Do you people not EVER bother checking for the factual basis for your inane bulls!t???? Or are you just content to make stuff up randomly and try to pass it off as fact? Either way, you are imbeciles for not even trying to get to the truth and at worst, you are abject liars who wouldn't know the truth from a pile of feces!
Is the president ever really on vacation? Did you feel the same way about Bush and Reagan? (Reagan took vacations every six weeks...)
Katie,
IF the truth were told NO president is truly on vacation, bewteen daily briefings, phone calls, and such. Not saying there is no free time but that the free time is not much. Folks don't realize that although Bush was in Crawford, there was still government work to be done! I cannot imagine the level of stress (whether GOP or DEM). Yes I know they volunteered but it appears to to me whiners on both sides don't think this stuff through!
Great move Mr. President. Now, if the legislative branch and judicial branch would follow your lead, approval ratings for Congress just might go up a bit.
Great move? Wow, the bar is low isn't it!
That's really sad if you think Obama's setting the bar low, especially considering that the his opposition of elected legislators have NOTHING to show for their time in office...
They can't follow in his steps because is ignoring them and creating his own law of the land. Obama is making up all sorts of crap to try to get re-elected and continue to screw the country over.
We have checks and balances to prevent those in power from taking too much power like Obama is currently doing. I'm so glad the leader of our nation has decided to no longer uphold the constitution!!!
Our legislators are too busy trying to figure out how to subpoena as much damaging information against the Obama administration in the short few days of work they have remaining on 2011 to look at something as far-reaching as cutting their own expenses. Lets just hope they find time to pass a budget and pass the debt bill created by the supercommittee of twelve.
Kat..his approval ratings ar up and climbing everyday. Too bad your Rethug's approval is in the toilet.
Ann - I think she was FOR the president. Just saying that the congress is garbage in her post.
I find it really sad that Obama had to bypass Congress to get this done, as opposed to Congress cutting this waste like it promised to.
Yowza! He'll never get "credit" for this either!
How about the White House's Budget? Where is Obama's announcement about his wasteful spending?
Multi-million dollar buses, sepaarate planes for he and the wife, campaign tours claiming to be policy......
Of course he makes this move after this has already taken place, "The State Department has bought more than $70,000 worth of books authored by President Obama, sending out copies as Christmas gratuities and stocking “key libraries” around the world with Dreams from My Father more than a decade after its release."
As reprehensible of a human being as to have ever walked this earth.
Yeah, compared to those super hardworking GOP politicians – whom everyone knows do not take vacations or travel anywhere on the public dime, who do not vote themselves raises, who don't write books let alone use public money (or PAC money) to buy and distribute them, and who do not campaign while in office because they're so very busy enacting laws that give ordinary middle class hardworking Americans jobs, homes, and loans – Obama sure looks like one big slacker.
Now hitting the govermental departments is something tangible. I support the POTUS on this and I am a goverment employee. Fraud waste and abuse runs roughshod across the entire goverment.
I'm not a republican but the way they spend this money is pretty bad, 2,500 phones that they were paying for hadn't been used in three months. Wow thats pretty bad. The only thing i do agree with when it comes to the republican side is that their is a ton of wasteful spending.
perfect! now the Administration needs to start selling all of the GOOD that has come out of the last three years, and to hammer it as much as the opposition. Like when Sen. McConnell dissed the Pres this morning about the SUper Committee, the Adminsitration should fire right back that "no, we ARE working hard and here is how...TODAY we are...."
Obama 2012
How about just remove the Prez...
What a great idea! That way there will be NO ONE working to cut spending, only those who like to talk about it.
Well...Maybe you ought to start limiteing all of his own travel.. He flies almost everyday..The taxpayers pay to fly 2 747's, 5 large cargo planes, lots of military planes to ensure his safety, helicopters to his location to fly him around, communications vehicles, limo's, and then all support for staff including an advance team that gets there 2 weeks early to coordinate. He says a few words about the economy and jobs so it is a "official white house trip" paid for by the taxpayers..then goes to his $10,000 a person dinner to campaign...Lea dby example just one time...please.....and for you bush haters I dont care I said the same about him ...BUT IT JUST AINT RIGHT FOR ANY OF THEM TO DO
This is a great start. Obviously more needs to be done, but its more than the previous 3 presidents have done. They never even bothered. No matter what he does, somebody isn't going like it, or is going find something to complain about cause they have nothing better to do. And before you go attacking vacations, he takes less vacations that GW, who spent nearly half his presidency on his ranch - ah, how quickly we forget.
I dont like Obama, I wont vote for him again; but I do like this. I'll be voting for Ron Paul with all the other smart and reasonable peopel who want real, long-term change.
I consider myself smart and reasonable, as do all of my masters educated friends and we would never vote for a man who thinks the way to run this country is to eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs along with departments that give us education, clean air, clean water, and energy regulation.
I thought he meant the swag from mexico. Get some medical herb flowing freely across America and mexico's dirt weed would be useless here. It'd be more healthy for the smokers too, more potent so you smoke less and less chemical fertilizers to give you cancer. Win win baby. Talk about cutting spending. This would save a ton. Plus we could regulate just like alcohol to more easily keep it out of children's hands and increase revenue for law enforcement to focus on real crimes. I think marijuana deserves equal taxation, rather than having police pick and choose the minority taxpayer, who knows, they might just make more money.
On paper, this is great. But, the fact is that without government spending, this economy would shrivel to the size of a pea. We no longer manufacture anything here. Without government payroll, pensions, social security, subsidies, food stamps, unemployment, this country would look a lot like Mexico.
It's already starting to look like Mexico , and for those reasons .
So why wasn't this done when he got into office? Is he using this to help him in the upcoming election?
I guess that Politics for you. Seems sneaky to me. But at it's core that's what I believe Politics is sneaky.
Perhaps he was busy trying to save us from economic collapse caused by the tax-cut and spend Cons?
Maybe you should be asking why bushy boy didn't do this in his eight years? Ahhhhh, that would require intellectual honesty....wouldn't it? Something the Cons are devoid of.
Stop spewing hate!! this was cause by the deregulation of the banks which happen when Bill Clinton was in Charge NOT Bush(he was stupid thou). and Yes Obama did try to cut wasteful spending but now one year from election time everything is going to be used for that purpose as well.The policies of the 90s is why we are here now Bush wasn't the cause although he didn't stop it. I am not sure Obama is our answer either.
Why is anything the President (any of them) does in the last 2 years of his term considered as something he's only doing for re-election? So basically he can only do positive things the first 2 years because after that he doesn't really mean what he's doing.
cpw check around and you will see that he started this programs when he came into office"I have informed my Department Heads to cut ALL wasteful spending in there Department/2008." this have nothing to do with his reelection,so before you jump the gun check first your information.
Everything has to do with Re-Election for the next 12 months.
Well, SaveR, that is important to some of us. Consider how forked up we'd be with any of the current crop of TPRep pretenders in the WH. That's a wake-up, no?
So, stop pretending that God and the truth are on your side.
Why do all you haters connect our President's positive actions to re-election? I'm sure if he stood back and did nothing you would condemn that also so what do you really expect of him? You are all so ridiculous!
Because in a two party system where the Objective is to obtain and maintain power, anyone who isn't in that person's eyes "on the same side" can't do anything right. He can cure cancer, recover the economy, reduce the poverty and unemployment rate and opposition on the right would still say "why didn't he do this in his first year?" Opposition strategy in politics used today on both sides is and always will be to place and maintain doubt on the person holding office. This is why our founding father's feared a two-party system...because they new the mission would be less about growing a country and more about power.
Yes , yes , and yes .
FIELD1stSGT, that's over 34 aides for ("for the first time I am proud of my country") Michele. This president and his spiked Kool Aid drinking supporters must be really running scared. They will stoop to anything just to paint this president as their savior. However, we now know that he's anything BUT!
On the other hand, FIELD1stSGT, we better watch what we say. Otherwise, we will be "branded" racists. If expressing the truth and your personal beliefs and feelings is considered racist; then I guess I AM a racist.
This, though I am a minority. I believe this called having/wanting it both ways.
America, don't be intimidated or allow this president and his lapdogs and spiked Kool Aid drinking supporters to buy the 2012 election, again!!!
Stand your ground!
it was rush pulling the race card in defense of cain.....sheeeesh....play the whiny victim much?
The challenge is that there's some ambiguity in the number, assumptions made that title X equals Obama hired or that X title equates to working directly for Michelle. Some of these positions are hold-overs from previous administrations. The other issue is identifying who Michelle hired versus who some chief of staff hired. It's easy to say it's all her or Obama's fault, but it's more complicated than that. Do they need to reign it in? Depends on what those staff are being used for and what the value is. Is it unprecedented? NO.
It's not nearly as unprecedented as people are saying.
Laura Bush has between 24 and 26 according to Anita McBride, Mrs. Bush's chief of staff.
Hillary Clinton had 20 paid plus 15 or so interns and volunteers.
Nancy Reagan had 15 on average (with 53 total staffers cycling through over the presidency)
Lady Bird Johnson had a staff of 30 as did Betty Ford.
Jacqueline Kennedy had 40 people on staff.
You have to also understand that Michelle is the defacto hostess of the White House and as such is partly responsible for hundreds of events both at the White House and across D.C. While the position of First Lady has no official obligations there has been an increase in the expectations of what a First Lady takes on year after year. Michelle Obama is not different in this role.
You already saw in Ohio, Mississippi and Kentucky that the torch carriers for ultra-conservatives are being rejected, You are good at humor when you talk about being Obama "bought' while you support the Norquist, Tea Party/Koch brothers puppets whose only goal is to support their corporate donors' profits in the face of public opinion opposing their actions, More to come in 2012.
jerry,jerry,do you think everybody are ignorant as you with your poor me BS!! Question: What is the meaning of the code word "SPIKED KOOL AID"? we all know what group of American you are referring too. There certain code words racist use because they do not have the balls to come out said it/ tell someone face to face what is in their racist mind.
Well gee Sir, if you wouldn't have typed "spiked kool-aid supporters..." I would have never guessed 🙂 HA HA. Man, you can't just act it huh? You have to type it for all to know, excellent, can't be called a closet racist, mad respect for you on that. Peace!
34 aides??? You just included security personnel lmao.. Maybe we should just have the school children she visits protect her. Yaaaaa, that'd work. Fyi, minorities can be racist too jacka$$. Speaking of buying elections......... need I say more?
@Jerry...If you and FIELD1STSARGE would or could back up your retoric with facts then maybe your comments would not seem "racist", and perhaps actually be taken seriously. Just spouting talk point dreamed up by your handlers is not enough to fool anyone but those who chose to be fooled, allowing folks to control them by FEAR, HATE , an ANGER. Everyone is held accountable at some point or another and unless you have the goods on some hidden agenda by Obama then you are just like an empty tin can blowing down the street...nothing there but noise, no substance. SHHH! The grown ups are talking.
I am very proud of OBAMA... HE is trying...
Obama the cost cutting – spendthrifty truth teller? Please stop CNN I'm laughing so loud its making my side hurt. This is the best joke I heard all day.
Clean your own house Mr.President before you start on others.
Ummmm, shorty.....that is what he is doing!
See, you up tight righties just spew yiur vitriol any chance you get.....you don't even read the flipping piece you are commenting on. Ever get tired of acting like a petulent child?
linton dawson.......I was talking specifically about the White-House . Sorry you didn't get that.
Sagebrush... I think dawson understood & responded correctly. He knew you were talking about the white house, cuz the whole flipping article was about obama cleaning house. Maybe your reading comprehension ain't so good, huh? Theres help out there for that.
Rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic trillion dollar Obama deficits.
"Government efficiency" is an oxymoron. There will no doubt be a new billion dollar government bureacracy created to attack waste, the "Department of Redundancy"
CNN loves Obama.
Maybe he should start with making the Mrs. fly on AF1 instead of taking her own privet jet on thier next vacation. Obama is the king of "do what I tell you, not what I do." Second thing he should do is think twice before shelling out our tax money on green energy programs that even his own Energy Department says is a bad investment.
This will really appeal to the repos. Stop whinning about the presidents vacations. Nowhere like the time Bush spent at the ranch. Our first lady doesnt spend near as much on her wardrobe any anyway that comes out of their personal account as does much of their spending. You have football and basketball players that make much more. So stop your silly remarks. This president spends less government money than the previous president and less than the congress you have in place now. Even ol Joe didn't use the limos when he was in the senate. Let's face it repos like the luxury and won't want to give it up.
You got that right, he ate a a restaurant every day, that had been closed for years.
It is important that the President is making an effort to cut waste.
It's not so much about cutting programs but making sure they are run in an efficient manner. Chopping entire programs is 'throwing out the baby with the bathwater.'
Finally something to show he means business.
I watched a video of Eric Cantor being chauffeur driven in a massive SUV from the offices of the Committee on Financial Services to the Rayburn House Office Building. Which is across the street. Literally. It's about 250 yards away. And we pay for that. No wonder he loves the 1% so much.
wow $8 billion. that's what, a weeks worth of spending? While I agree this type of spending needs reduction we need to stop tinkering with the edges and make some real serious spending cuts.
As you all know Americans are going after americans that live in other countries Ie Canada for tax evasion. which is a great for America to catch all those people earning big dollars and not paying there taxes. But it also working against the americans as well . My friend is an american living Canada and has been there half of her life, She has never worked in The
US ever. She is just a normal working stiff living in Canada for the last 25 years. Only born in the states and has an american passport.The americans are forcing her to file and do taxes in the states other wise they declare her a criminal. So she filed her USA taxes for 2010. She makes little money to begin with she has just basic savings for working flor 25 years. The issue now is that your american government has force her to become part of your system .So please take note that because she had to file taxes for 2010 she is now part of your system now. Take note agian she has never worked in the states. after she file her 2010 taxes She gets a return in the way of a check for $210.00 so go figure that one out. So here you are wanting to cut back on your your governmental bugets etc. and you give money away free. No wonder your econmyis in trouble. Your have now given her access for any other benifits in your country in the future.and she does not even live there or work there. So much for attacking American citizens for living in Canada. So good luck American in lowering your decifit you will need it. From a friendly Canadian .
Government is lying about deficits..http://www.youtube. com/watch?v=jkwjtbTjTsE
Why don't we start with the "Christmas Tree Tax"? CNN is not reporting this, not sure why. Do a quick search on the internet. I found on the gpo.gov website a 17 page document outlining the 15 cents per tree that the government is collecting to help better the image of the Christmas tree. Talk about wasteful spending.Seriously? Check it out for yourself: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-11-08/pdf/2011-28798.pdf
Why are we letting politicians (Congress) set their own pay increases. That's dumber than dumb.
this is sooo gay
Someone is cleaning up house.
Why are politicians (Congress + the prez) allowed pensions and medical coverage for life after having served only one stint in office. Talk about wasting of the taxpayers money – this is the unconsionable.
Waiting for results-not headlines- and alot more of them. Do like the sounds of this Re-election program, tho.
Cutting waste is a great start. If you want to help reduce our national debt, please support the Association to Reduce the National Debt. Find them on facebook or on the web. If we all work together, we can make a difference and help save our nation for our children.
Why hasn't this been done already! Isn't this the first things given up by most companies trying to cut the swag!
I guess OBUMMER paid for his own million dollar bus too?? NOT
A great place for Odumwa to start would be to ground his spiffy new rides, Air Force 1 and the chopper hoppers then delete his teleprompters. Oh that would be nice then he couldn't keep lying to US!
Both Nancy Reagan and Barbara Bush wrote about the White House billing statements the first family received each month for food service, etc., in their memoirs.
it should be noted that Mrs Reagan was very upset when they handed her the first invoice for payment to cover these services. She was under the impression that everything were free because her husband was the President of the United States. Also how many of our First Ladies shop at Target or Walmart for their personal items???? Very good jean!!!
Mike , are you aware that after her appearance on TV last week , dancing around on stage , she is now proud to own the title of " Americas New Favorite Dancing Cow " ?
By definition, politicians are public servants. Time for them to act like it.
It seems as though when President Obama leaves Congress out of the mix, he gets sensible things done. Keep it up Mr. President! You've got my 2012 vote. You can't fix everything over night. Keep chipping away. The more you get done while Congress plays games on my tax dollars the better – they suck, and are making themselves irrelevant in the democratic process.
Reading some of these comments just further shows why people that dislike Obama will never give him props even when he does things that are favorable to their beliefs. It's never good enough unless the same exact actions are performed by a Republican.
Start with the congress and senate pension plans. Leave the little guy alone with his laptop and phone and go after the real problem in government.
Since 'Boehner, Cantor, McConnell are doing nothing . Maybe they could put on orange suits and pick up trash along Highway 61 !
Thomas, I believe they would be willing to do it; ONLY if they saw YOU working alongside!
every bill passed in the house gets squashed by Obama's buddy Harry Reid in the Senate. stop being part of the problem. wake up from being brainwashed.
Chris, who's feeding you this stuff? Fox? Rush? Cantor?
The simplest facts are that this Congress has done almost precisely nothing. So little that McConnell and his goombas have hardly had to use their filibuster option.
Did you not see video of John of Orange and McConnell stating that their "Job 1" was to bring Pres. Obama down?
Guess you're into "not intended to be factual" also. So, move along quietly.
I think its really ignorant of CNN to use the term swag for this serious state of time. It's just a slick way to be a racist, which isn't call for. I had more respect for CNN until I seen that head line.smdh its so funny this man is doing all he can and America still want give him a break. he finish what the bush clan started and bringing home troops.I say give him time and he'll shock the world.
Mitt Romney cut Defense spending by having all five of his sons avoid military service !
OB-ba-ba-ba-ba-ma supporters!
I knew it. It was those darn mugs the government has been giving away that has caused the decifit to balloon over the last 3 years! I knew there was a silver bullet out there that would solve our deificity problem. Thanks Obama.
The President and first lady are going to cut cost by asking the Governor of Ohio "John Kasich" to volunteer as the official presidential scarecrow for the White house organic garden !
Go Green !
Cost cutting is a great idea, as long as it doesn't impact efficiency; don't make a poor office flunky fill out a ream of paperwork and get the approival of threee managers just to order a new stapler.
Also, I hope these cost-cutting measures pertain to members of Congress and their staffs, who are normally exempt from these kinds of regulations.
@Jerry
I'm shaken the tree Boss !
What we have here is a failure to communicate !
Thomas, I agree with you somewhat. However, you are good at pointing fingers and laying blame with absolutely no solutions. On the other hand, if we all try and be as realistic as we possibly can, all fingers and blame should ONLY be pointed in one direction: The White House and its main resident! Three years under this administration and the president is still blaming Bush or someone else!? I don't think so!!!
Are we all being realistic as realistic as we possibly can be? Just asking!
Jerry – funny how you ask others to do what you are apparently incapable of? Repeating fox media mythology is not realistic or genuine.
ok, so...why was world war one fought? who started it? what about ww2? how about water gate? A person somewhere was a victim of some crime at some point...doe stime some how make that victim the fault of the crime? It's been decades since watergate, ww1, ww2, didthe facts behind those situations change because time has elapsed?
the blame belongs where it belongs, he can point the finger at who ever made the mess. why? because everybody is blaming him...kinda like finding a dead body and being accused of the murder because you have blood on you from try to do CPR. do you get it? he is working at fixing the problem that was indeed in place before he was POTUS. is there some kind of magic wand that he should wave that he doesn't know about? it did not get this way over night and will not get better over night, be realistic. years of neglect and bad policies/ choices led to this, bush did what he did, it's not blame it's fact! if your friend did something and you were blamed for it, even though it had been proven your friend did it, would you simply own the guilt or would you exclaim everytime it was brought up that it was not your fault?
I guess we will just need the President and we can get rid of the Congress since the President can bypass it. The problem is as a leader, Obama is lacking of the leadership skill to lead the nation forward, he has done talking more than doing, balming more than building up, he can not bring these two parties together, like his campaign slogan "Change the Culture of the Washington" insted he make it worse. That is one of the major reason why the country is still in bad shapes after 3 years, the Congress has never been so divided, and the people are so discontended. it doen't matter is a head of the household, a mayor, a governor, or CEO, eventually, you are the one who should be blame, because it is under your watch. Both the Prime Minstry of the Greece and Italy have been resigned. To what point where our country is getting so bad that Obama is going to admit he is responsible, like a man, instead of pointing finger all over?
Albert I do not know how old you are but down home the old people has a old saying that fit very well here," YOU CAN LEAD A HORSE TO THE WATER HOLE BUT YOU CAN MAKE HIM DRINK." Do you get what I'm saying in regards to President Obama and the republicans/tea-baggers and yes some of the menbers in the democratic party. The President is doing just fine with what he have to work with.
Over the past thirty years you can see real Presidential leadership – it comes from Democratic Presidents.
The only good thing under Regan was after fifty years the Soviet Union collapsed ending the cold war, but Regan raised taxes eleven times while expanding the government. And Bush with his Iraq blunder followed by his Great Recession while expanding the government – neither are what anyone could consider positive "leadership".
Regardless of political persuasion, the idea that the "swag" is cut is a good. It needs to be done but not just at a governmental level. Truly, if this is going to help our country's economics, I believe it should actually be done by the corporate elite who love to cut the "swag" for the lower echelons but keep the goodies for themselves...
Hey, Obama maybe handing out smart phones caused the huge deficit. Or maybe it's Obamacare and a stimulus plan that gave money to your friends.
so you would rather the President and his staff couldn't get emails and other information/communication instantly? Oh, right you're of the crowd that longs for the days of black & white TVs, "might is right", and segregation. Never mind.
Congress net worth up 25% !
That is it! As a federal employee, I have had it with this guy..first he freezes our pay for two years and now he is cutting down on travel and technology. He is putting an unbalanced burden on his "work staff"! I voted for him in 2008, but not in 2012. We are willing to do our share, but this is ridiculous and out of line. Bye Bye Obie Boy!
I'm a little bit confused. Is this coming from "The President" who spent millions of public money on numerous campaign trips to save HIS JOB? I'm not even counting expensive vacations to Martha's Vineyard and Spain. And what about $535 million wasted on Solyndra and $737 million given to Tonopah? And that one trillion dollars wasted on the stimulus plan which was supposed to lower unemployment but didn't. Does Obama seriously think that this gimmick will somehow mask his spending binge on misguided policies and personal exploits? He must be living in a dream world.
Is your first name Jerry, or is he in the room next door?
And here come the lies with the inflated fictitious costs of Obama's vacations, travel, clothes, food, security, toilet paper, etc. as presented by their minions (morons) – pulled right out of their butts.
“Obama spent $5 billion dollars to fly to Europe” – such children, do they ever think before they bleat?
@mtta
How much did it cost to find those WMDs ?
A few trillion.. No biggie. Now billions on our economy & infrastructure?? Thats too much. Sarcasm.... S-A-R-C-A-S-M... Sarcasm. Had to spell it out for the GOPorate hacks.
Glad you asked. As of last accounting I've seen, the US Gummint spent about a $BILLION in Iraq in a desperate effort to locate Georgie's WMDs. No accounting given for the Georgie's personal search in the WH.
Do you TPers need to see anything more absurd/stupid supporting a neo-con agenda? There is time. Repent.
You Repubtards are too much, always looking for a way to bad mouth Obama even when he does great things you find a way to not give him any credit. I don't see your glorious Tea Bagger Congress doing anything for Americans that is the middle class or the poor. Keep up the negative crap it will come back to bite you on the ass.
European Union's woes should trouble the United States. First and foremost, after suffering through one of the worst recessions in U.S. history, (caused by fannie and freddie mac-run by democrats) America is finally beginning to emerge. Unless there is a dramatic shift in the way the European Union operates its collective economies, the crisis in Europe will set off another recession. Not to mention Obama policies are not far off from the socialist model that is failing in Europe. President Barack Obama and Congress must take a hard look at the policies it's been pursuing since last year and take corrective measures to reduce America's long-term debt and eliminate as much deficit spending as possible. Raises taxes will not help. Obama stated on ABC news that "everyone knows you don't raise taxes in a recession". I worry that your so party loyal you fail to see the facts and the cronyism of this administration: fast and furious, the green energy failed loans that tax payers are now on the hook for, the take-over of student loans, etc. I am a moderate, but the dems are loosing a lot of us and we are leaning toward more moderate republicans because it seems like the democrats are anti business and divisive. If we don't stop the spending we will be like Greece. Its just ridiculous. The democrats in the super committee are proposing new spending along with tax cuts. SPENDING? Just insane to most of us. ITs the spending that is the problem.
@ Jerry – on what date did we recover from the Bush/Repub Great Recession?
We haven’t so until we do the source – Bush/GOP control & deregulation – will be “brought up” over and over so you and everyone else will never forget.
NVa Native, if you are so bright, PLEASE tell me who really made the situation worst. Now, now, if you are not going to be really, really honest, don't waste your time, or my time for that matter, with your response.
It's been over three years now. Again, just asking!
Gosh Jerry..the situation could have been much worse Obama pretty much stopped the nose dive into the greater depression. Did you think that the problems created by eight years of blundering by Bush would be fixed in 21/2 years? I know push the majic Republican button and it's all better? Get a clue.
Jerry – three years to recover from eight years of Bush’s failures and no-bid contracts, and with only obstruction from the Repubs in Congress – you must think Obama is the Messiah or some thing? Some one with your powers must be very highly paid, maybe even in the 1% – or still living in your mother’s basement.
BTW the obvious answer your silly question – REPUBS the party of “NO”.
Really Jerry, you need to try to think on your own from time to time.
the recession was created by Clinton's house for every american policy. and kept hidden by the democratic majorities in congress.
that's just stupid
@NVa Native
that's just stupid
-----
Not Stupid NVa Native but Chris is only half correct. The following is per wikipedia.
In 1992, President George H.W. Bush signed the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992. The Act amended the charter of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to reflect Congress' view that the GSEs "... have an affirmative obligation to facilitate the financing of affordable housing for low- and moderate-income families........ The initial annual goal for low-income and moderate-income mortgage purchases for each GSE was 30% of the total number of dwelling units financed by mortgage purchases[15] and increased to 55% by 2007.
In 1999, Fannie Mae came under pressure from the Clinton administration to expand mortgage loans to low and moderate income borrowers by increasing the ratios of their loan portfolios in distressed inner city areas designated in the CRA of 1977.[16] Because of the increased ratio requirements, institutions in the primary mortgage market pressed Fannie Mae to ease credit requirements on the mortgages it was willing to purchase, enabling them to make loans to subprime borrowers at interest rates higher than conventional loans.[16]
As you can see Both G.H.W Bush AND Clinton tinkered with Fannie and Freddie, it just got worse under Clinton with sub prime mortages (the begining of te housin bubble bursting)!
NVa Native
that's just stupid
that's just stupid
-–
Not Stupid NVa Native but Chris is only half correct. The following is per wikipedia.
In 1992, President George H.W. Bush signed the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992. The Act amended the charter of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to reflect Congress' view that the GSEs "... have an affirmative obligation to facilitate the financing of affordable housing for low- and moderate-income families........ The initial annual goal for low-income and moderate-income mortgage purchases for each GSE was 30% of the total number of dwelling units financed by mortgage purchases[15] and increased to 55% by 2007.
In 1999, Fannie Mae came under pressure from the Clinton administration to expand mortgage loans to low and moderate income borrowers by increasing the ratios of their loan portfolios in distressed inner city areas designated in the CRA of 1977.[16] Because of the increased ratio requirements, inst-itutions in the primary mortgage market pressed Fannie Mae to ease credit requirements on the mortgages it was willing to purchase, enabling them to make loans to subprime borrowers at interest rates higher than conventional loans.[16]
As you can see Both G.H.W Bush AND Clinton tinkered with Fannie and Freddie, it just got worse under Clinton with sub prime mortages and the lowering of loan requirements (the begining of the housing bubble bursting)! This bubble was laid in the lap of Bush 43 but folks seem to forget that!
@ Steveo. Your facts scared them off. The fact is you are 100% correct. Not only that, Clinton's cuts in the Intelligence Community weakened us and allowed for the likes of 9/11 to happen. Not saying it might not have happened anyway, but the cuts were tough "more with less" was the slogan of the Clinton years.
"the plan builds on the Campaign to Cut Waste program which the administration says has already saved $8.5 billion. An administration official tells CNN the new cuts could save billions more"
Thank you for the common sense approach! Now, save an instant 300 billion a year – cut off Israel funding!!!!
He sure is a man of action! Tripling the National Debt, an Active Golfer, and an active campaigner. When will be active as President?
@Jerry
You cant undo the damage of 8 years , in 3 years !
Do the MATH !
THINK LONG-TERM !
especially when you double the damage in only 3 years.
and > half of that doubling was accounting for all the money Bush spent but refused to put on the books.
that's just stupid again
How about pensions and free health care that they don't like, EXCEPT IF IT IS FOR THEM ONLY.
How about cutting back on Michelle's entourage when she takes fancy vacations? That would save us millions of dollars.
I just have one "last" suggestion that may help economy of the USA: If the federal government is going to cut back on travel costs; is the president starting by cutting his own exorbitant travel costs? If the president cuts his own travel costs we can probably save another $8B.
Oops! Sorry!!! I forgot the president's own policies don't apply to him or his family; only to his flunkies.
Do you ever get tired of being full of absolute Sh1T? What a worthless American with nothing but bitterness and hate. YOU are what's wrong with this country today.
Jerry – just a thought – have you taken your medicare meds today?
Jerry... Your one of the dumbest dumb ppl I've heard on here yet. Crying WOLF!!!! Don't worry man.... It's just my shi-tzu. Take your cartoon act elsewhere...
lets cut wasteful spending like oh i dont know.. the iraq war?
Oh wow you mean you want to cut out all of those "price gouging war contractors" that too mean .
@Jerry
JERRY JERRY JERRY ,
Look at the transportation cost of our former president ! All those flights down to Texas went cheep ! Look at who took more vacation time !
Any way , I know you must feel proud knowing we now have a President that can visit other countries without paying compensation do to riots and protests !
more examples of Obama's "change".
"once again bypassing congress?" Since when does the Chief Executive need congressional approval to issue direction to the executive branch? This author clearly doesn't understand separation of powers or the functions of the executive. Newspapers used to hire people to check and correct things like that, but I guess the news cycle is so short that it doesn't matter what these "journalists" regurgitate anymore.
Obama is such a hypocrite. You cut waste while I continue to spend billions on campaign contributors.
Well, at least those contributions DO NOT come from lobbyists like the republciOns do.
Cutting back? You bet. Let those senators and congressmen pay their way. They can afford it.
THOMAS, THOMAS, THOMAS, I've got to hand it to you "guys"! If I was ever in a politically elected position, I would definitely want you "guys" on my side. No matter how I messed/screwed up, you would ALWAYS be on my side.
You are definitely consistent; wrong, but consistent.
Anyway, got to go, some of us got to work to make a living. Enjoy the rest of your day!
Dont lie jerry, you don't work.
@chris
John McCain and Sarah Palin Can Beat Obama In 2012
Dream in the past !
So does this mean that no more Smokey Bear supplies can be purchased to give to school kids at fire prevention events?
Awesome move. Can Congress do the same for Congress wasteful spending? No? Awww. One more reason to vote for Obama and Dems.
@Jerry
On your way home from work could you pick up the vidio , Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.
Take care !
What I do remember is Bush making light of the fact that thousands of young men and women died in Iraq at the White House correspondence dinner by looking under tables and in closets daying no WMD here. That was not funny at all,and I'am surprised that no one ever said just how insensitive and stupid that stunt was.
Aaaaamen
Amen. Iraq was an unfunded war of choice because Jr. wanted to finish family business. It also took our eyes off the real mission in Afghanistan and let that simmer into a real mess. You cannot cut taxes and fund 2 wars indefinitely. Bush squandered all the good will we had post 9-11 when we went into Iraq; he wasted precious human capital in the form of military lives, and drove our deficit to new records. Look at the data without the cost of the wars and we never would had deficit we face now. Also, while we were in 2 wars both parties were just fine cutting military funding. They have been doing that since the Berlin Wall came down.
The executive order in this article is smart business–The DOD already instituted a lot of this and has plans for more. It's the proverbial "low hanging fruit" and fits as an Exuctive Order and not a law. Executive Orders cover a myriad of policies that don't belong in congress.
Why do they need government issued vehicles when their pulling at least 90,000 a year?
i just love those people that dislike Obama but hail Bush as the greatest, especially when they talk about Obama and how much he spends on vacations. To date and in comparing 1st terms, Obama has made around about 2/3 the trips that Bush did by this time in his first term.
God bless The United States of America.
President Obama 2012 !
If congress has the right under the Constitution to issue paper money, it was given them to use themselves, not to be delegated to individuals or corporations. -Andrew Jackson
I also love how after 2 years, people are saying he is waiting until close to re-election to do this, yet complain if he didn't do anything, complain that it didn't happen soon enough, complain that this should have been done earlier, complain complain complain even when it is a good thing and exactly what the public is asking for in cutting gov't spending.....you people are confusing. Do you even remember who you are at times?
The hypocritical comments posted here are so reflective of the attitude of our Congressmen and women, so it's no wonder that nothing gets done. It really doesn't matter which party has control of what. The people in Congress can't get it all together to actually do anything when they are too busy (1) grandstanding, (2) campaigning for re-election, or (3) doing everything in their power to undermine the seated President, if they are in the opposing party... or all of these things. What kind of catastrophic event will have to happen before this basic mindset of destructive behavior changes?
Cut off all aid to countries not named america period end of story. Shipping billions to Israel is so stupid the common man should be burning the israelie flag in the streets these newsih crooks run our whole finacial system and people wonder why we have such a huge deficit. Wake up people Obama just jewish puppet. Tell the ADL to kiss my ass
While I agree with cutting back on conference travel and gummint cars, the other items are often, even usually, counter-productive. Some feds must travel to do their work. Courts will not permit (nor should they) federal lawyers to appear at hearings and trials by video. Depositions should be conducted in person. Criminal investigations require boots on the ground. Laptops and cell phones make traveling feds more productive. Not all of this stuff is "swag."
You have a point, however my wife works for HUD, auditing FHA mortgages from lenders (and boy you should hear about the fraud and crap from everyone–borrowers, lenders, assessors...) They could, and SHOULD do the majority of the work from the regional office, yet they send 2-8 people out to the lenders' offices (she covers about a 12 state region) for a week at a time. Hotels, food, airlines, OT, rental cars, etc. Half of the time they are working off of electronic files. But they (the agency) have a budget that they have keep up with, and are "penalized" if they don't use all their allotted funds for the year.
1. gov't waste in unnecessary travel expenses
2. savings DISCOURAGED, where as in the private sector if you submit cost savings you get REWARDED.
Yes, there are necessary expenses, travel, etc. but there is much more waste and "eliminating schwag (misspelling intentional)" is a drop in the bucket from what could be reduced or eleminated and still create a well functioning gov't.
Funny you should mention this. My agency had not changed at all since Obama's been in office, would love to see the facts behind that $8.5 billion. Also, his administration pushed a program on our agency that wasted $20 million. Would not listen to the facts, or at least his administration would not. Here's a good idea...STOP SPENDING money we don't have....that goes to all of them, not just Obama.
And by the way, she worked in the private sector for over 25 years mostly as a mortgage underwriter, and predicted the housing finance issues in the early 2000's. just took a lot longer than she expected for it to crash.
The almighty Obomber could cut millions in costs by cutting out a lot of his and Michelle's travel that is costing us millions upon millions.
OK... Lets park Airforce-1, Take Pelosi's jet and her scotch. Hell, the scotch alone would save millions.
Ever see the personalized medalions military brass have minted at taxpayer expense with their name and rank? They give them out to each other and collect them. A relative had a five pound velvet bag of them presented to him after a promotion. He gave one of his to Bush at a meeting and the President joked to his staff, "If the public ever found out about these we would be in trouble."
Okay, so we're going to save billions by spending the billions we save. Net sum of zero savings. If you can cut back on these expenses – DON'T SPEND THEM AGAIN. Homework: Mary and Tom decide to reduce their houselhold expenses by $5,000 a year. They scrimp and save the $5,000 but then turn around and buy a new stereo system with the $5,000. Net savings: 0. How stupid is the government? This is why the super committee and Congress will never save a dime. We'll cut 1.2 Trillion from the current budget and turn around and spend it on absolutely unnecessary expenses.
Give me a break.
Every institution should follow suit...churches..YES they should set an example. Schools and universities YES!! The whole country...now is the time to ask people to do what Bush should have done...CUT THE SWAG!!!! It is everywhere. How about all of those garish football uniforms colleges field...who pays for them...YOU/ME it is called tuition!!
"It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit."
– Harry S. Truman
Kinda like him traveling all over the country for $30,000 per plate dinner speeches?
It takes time to put things like this in place, in 2009 Obama was keeping us from falling into the abyss of economic collapse that the previous administration left us. . It's a full time job and I challenge any of you to do it better. And as for McCain-Palin beating anyone? Puleeeze!
Not enough. How about signing an executive order cutting salaries of congress and house by 50%? You are only getting my vote if you do this. But Mr. President, I think you are not interested in sacrificing anything yourself. You want to be the greatest president? This is what you have to do.
Look at Nelson Mandela who put his money where his mouth is. Besides, most of you don't do one iota of work, so why are you drawing salaries?
How does everyone like the, "change"?? I think we need a change in 2012!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here is my question...why is it when Obama does something good like this (which is what republicans have been all about i.e cutting spending) do people come on these forums to just hate on him...I mean i get you dont like his policies or even him as a person but, can any of the people on here that hate him say (with-out lying to yourself) that this is not a great idea?...At what point will you people stop making up reasons to hate him. He does not spend tax payer money for vacations, that is fact sostop making that untrue statement. Michelle has no more staff members than any other first lady, so stop with that...What some of the Republicans can do to make yourselves not look so onesided like your buddies in Washington, is to just say "hey I dont like Obama but this is a good move" and then go on with your life and fight for the policies you dont like...Hating every single thing Obama does doesnt make him any better or worse than what he is but, it does make you look like you have no credible objective opinion
beans–
First, you make some good, valid points, and I'll take a stab at your question.
Yes there are those who will hate the president regardless. There are those who will hate his policies regardless. And there are those who will love either or both regardless. That being said, yes, this is a step in a good direction, but:
1. Is it enough?
2. Who will/won't benefit
3. Skeptical because of the timing
Now that being said, this prompts another question I've had for years, and I think Obama's presidency has really opened this question up and that is,
A president is elected, normally, based on a platform (s)he laid out before being elected. Is it their responsibility to stay true to that platform, remaining loyal to their constituents, or should they change policy mid stream based on the attitude of the nation and changing perceptions? In many ways I don't fault this or any president for changing policies to get re-elected because that shows they are listening to the people, but this only holds true if they stay with that policy after re-election. On the flip side, does it reveal a lack of backbone and conviction to one's own (president's) philosophies, and therefore we never know who or what we vote for.
In other words should we percieve the POTUS as a leader or representative? If "my guy" is voted in, I want him to be a leader, because I hope he enacts the policies he ran on. If "your" guy is voted in, I want him to be a representative, because I hope to get enough others to influence his decisions to a more moderate position (leaning more my way).
Is this "honest with myself" enough?
While the administration is cutting costs the savings won’t go toward cutting the debt or deficit. All the savings will be reinvested.
-------
Why not use the savings to paid down the debt? if it is to be spent elsewhere, it's not truly a savings!
Exactly right steveo. And this has been the problem with gov't for years. They find savings in one area and if they cannot find large enough deficits elsewhere, they start up a new program, that becomes more and more expensive in and of itself. Come to think of it, gov't is a beaurocratic Hydra!
Been watching when I can, but extremely busy right now. It's good to see a voice of reason on here. I particurlarly liked your recent conversations with Liz.
My best.
C-Lo,
Good to hear from you. My exchanges wit Liz are enjoyable. if I am not mistaken she said she was 63 and I am 53! This is how adults converse, disagreement (to an extent) without the disrespect! As far as this story, the ONLY way to get out of debt is to pay down the debt. While it may just be a few million, it all adds up especially when you take into account the interest. That is how families have to do it! Take care and looknig forward to hearing from you soon!
Loser obama is all talk and no action . This deadbeat has wasted more taxpayer time and money in two years than any body before him did in any four year term. He also has wasted our taxpayer money on his numerous vacations,golf outings, and his reinstallment campaign . We could cut some of the government waste when we remove this all talk and no action deadbeat obama .
Did you just make all that up or is that fact? I would bet a grand that you cant find credible information to back up anything you just wrote...lol these forums really do allow people like you to feel smart.
Getting Obama out of office would get rid of the biggest waste.
Let's get this straight...the same President that wasted 1.1 trillion dollars on bail outs for Wall Street, big banks and GM is now pretending to be for "swag" reduction? Don't know whether to laugh or puke...may do both
Way to go, Mr. President! Thank you.
President Obama could end up the hero here if he goes forward and cuts billions more.
I am a hardcore Republican. But at least Obama is doing something to cut the fat. Good for him. After working with the Feds for a number of years, it is unbelievable how much of our tax dollars I saw wasted on trivial trinkets, similar to those noted in this article. OMG, feds need to share a rental car when they are traveling to the same conference and staying in the same hotel?!?! What is this world coming to...
Sir, Thankyou for being only one of a few Republicans to actually give praise where it is due...We need more like you
From a Democrat
When would congress start doing it? They have been talking about it for years.
There are three main conservative responses to every thing Obama does that's positive and successful::
1) he should have done it sooner.
2) He should have done more.
3) That wasn't his success, someone else deserves credit and he was just along for the ride.
Really won't reduce the deficit by a huge amount, but still a good symbolic gesture.
Um....it takes an executive order for government agencies to act responsibly with the tax payers monies. Individuals, non-profits, small businesses and companies of every size has been doing this for years. This is a governmental culture issue.
about time. The senators complain about spending. I wonder how they feel now that their toys are taken away.
Zigge, I am aware that everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I hope you are aware of that as well. So with that being said, let me give you my opinion of you and your statement. I believe that you are a pompous arrogant person. You say that Obama is 'all talk and no action' but he is the one who is bringing our troops home from an unnecessarily prolonged war that the real LOSER BUSH put us in. Bush completely destroyed our country and economy within his term and Obama is doing everything possible to bring our country and economy back to good standing. Since day one Obama has taken criticism from people and not once has he let that influence his decisions, he has kept to the same routine since day one that CHANGE will come and it's beginning to come. I think that it's time to show and give President Obama the RESPECT that he deserves.
President Obama wasted $500 million on Solyndra alone, then when the 2012 election is getting close, he cut NASA's travel by $17 million to show that he does not want government waste. A brilliant actor.
ZIGGE Why don't any of you right wing rednecks get your facts straight before you post such crap, please.
For years, liberals have turned green with envy at the European Union's 30-hour work week, its lengthy vacation packages, its wide-ranging early retirement benefits and its government-sponsored health care coverage. The European social model has been copied by countries outside the EU, and liberal American Democrats have put tremendous pressure on the federal government to adopt a similar framework for these government-backed spending sprees here at home. President Barack Obama has made great strides toward implementing the European Socialist form of government with passage of his recent health care reform plan, and his current push for amnesty is being described by liberal Democrats as an answer to America's illegal immigration problem.
For years, liberals have turned green with envy at the European Union's 30-hour work week, its lengthy vacation packages, its wide-ranging early retirement benefits and its government-sponsored health care coverage. The European social model has been copied by countries outside the EU, and liberal American Democrats have put tremendous pressure on the federal government to adopt a similar framework for these government-backed spending sprees here at home. President Barack Obama has made great strides toward implementing the European Socialist form of government with passage of his recent health care reform plan, and his current push for amnesty is being described by liberal Democrats as an answer to America's illegal immigration problem.
I am looking at Greece and Italy and Spain. May have been enjoyable for a while but now the bill for all that is due. Look at the results! I don't want that here! Free rides are never free! Correct me if I am wrong but I believe that is your point!
The debt crisis doesn't even involve the UK, France, Germany, and most of Northern Europe that also enjoy many of the benefits you describe.
I keep seeing everyone talk about President Obama and The First Lady Michelle Obama traveling expenses. Please note, they pay for their vacations just like any other family. It is so sad that people are brainwashed by fox news, and the crazy right. What kills me the most is that everyone wants to blame a man that has done his best with the shit he was given. We will not always agree, but we as a country have gone way to far on hating people. Please do your research before lashing out any outrageous comments. I love the President and I hope and pray he is re-elected in 2012. I have never seen such blatant racism in my life until now. Why do you hate the President? He has done nothing to you directly to make you so angry. I feel that people have not used their brain, and let the Republican party think for them. Wake up please! Don't be a victim to this foolishness. Much love to all.
I love the President and the First Lady Michelle
Obama 2012 YAY!!!!!!
I am sick and tired of people being called "racist" if they don't like the obamas. If anything, the folks calling others racist are racists themselves. The only reason alot of these folks like the obamas is because they are black. Now, I guess that makes me a racist!
It sure would have saved the Government Money on the conference I just had to go to. At least, it would have made the people who hosted it cut out the fat, focus on the primary reason for being there and and reduce the # of days we were there.
Any cut is better than no cut. How about just a budget freeze for a few years?
Looks like Obama is getting and heeding advice from some of the business community. When things get tight economically, these are the things smart businessmen do. This is an even smarter move for the Gov't to do. Why do gov't agencies need mugs and t-shirts for advertisement anyway? More needs to be done, but this is an excellent move.
Wow, for once I agree with something that Obama did, although I don't think that anyone would object to cutting back on wasteful spending. Making it an executive order just made it look like it was all his idea, which was a great political mood. Let's see if people realize that.
"Wednesday the president will sign an executive order, once again bypassing Congress, to expand an already existing administration program to cut waste and promote efficient spending across the federal government according to an official release from the White House. "
Sadly this is the only way things get done for this administration and should be a wakeup call to the Americian people – when the PRESIDENT has to force an executive order OVER congress to get them to cut back on spending... where's the problem?
hmmm... "congress carries the power of the purse"
If the govt is too big and spending too much, you have only CONGRESS to blame... yes, the POTUS approves, dis-approves and heckles over the budget, but they are the ones who ultimately deceide what gets spent where.
The POTUS shouldn't have to BEG for more teachers, more first responders and better care for our VETs... those should be priorities... far more important than a work issued IPAD.
Check most your fortune 500 companies, you'll see they are always cutting back or making rules about this stuff. I work for a major communications company in the US and we do *not* purchase tablets (IPAD and Android) – we'll use someone of the more powerfull windows based ones for special applications... but IPADS and Android Tablets are toys to most these people.
At least our prez is trying to do something about this country. Meanwhile, the Republicans sit on their asses and don't get anything done nor do they have any decent suggestions. All they know how to do is play the blame game and try to stop Obama from doing anything.
As for poster Zigge, I think you'd better do some reading. Obama has done more in the last three years than Bushie-Boy did in 8 years. All Bushie-Boy did was get us into a couple of wars, kept taxes low for millionaires, let the banking industry do whatever they wanted–completely unregulated–and did tons of stuff that our country is still trying to recover from. Why don't you go on Google and put in: President Obama's accomplishments" (or something similar) and do some reading....that is, IF you know HOW to read.......
Wow.
Reading down the comments, it has been crystal clear that Republicans and Tea Partiers will always find some reason, no matter how dig they have to deep, to hate President Obama. All he is doing is continuing and expanding on an initiative to cut government waste and nothing else, no spending, no restriction of rights, no regulations, and you STILL have a problem with it. This has already saved $8.5 billion and will save billions more and all you can do is complain.
If your responses had been logical and you had admitted, even grdugingly, that he was doing something good, I would start to think we can actually work together. But no, you just complain no matter what he does. You don't want to be part of the solution? Fine, leave. Republicans and Tea Partiers all have to go next election so the adults in the room can actually get things done.
*deep they have to dig
Have you considered that many of posters on here are paid political bloggers whose sole purpose is to spin any and all news to try and discredit him?
Yes, sadly, I have. Considering the kind of people who would post for money are lower or middle class at most, they are the ones that would be hurt the most by the Republican and Tea Party agenda. And it always astonishes me that people will help destroy their future for just a little money now.
Yeah, I do have a problem with it. In case you morons of either party faied to realize it, these are times of austere circumstances for a large portion of our population. The objective of cutting out the unnecesary is not to find other unnecessary crap on which to spend the savings. We are asking you to CUT SPENDING and discontinue the disingenuous government accounting practices of telling us how much you've cut when you've only cut the amount of growth of spending. CUT GOVERNMENT SPENDING NOW.
@really??? Solid reasonable comment! I agree 100%. Even the most stupid person ought to understand that! It's about human nature...humans are always going to defend themselves if at all possible! Some Americans seem to have selective memory...they keep trying to drop the whole shabang in Obamas' lap, accusing him of all the damage that's been caused by their long termed failed policies and when he tosses it back to where it belongs and originated...Ooooh..they get mad! I don't blame him...I would too!
So many of you folks are so desperate to discredit Obama it is just hilarious. Y'all are practically tripping over your own feet.
Fact is, the kinds of cuts Obama just signed are exactly the kinds of cuts businesses (including the one I work for) make when financially strapped.
What cuts?
You obviously didn't read the article or know anything about this story.
Did you read the article?
I read the article. Those are not cuts, trust me. I work for the Federal Government and every administration has done something along these lines. Oddly enough I have seen no changes since Obama came into office. In fact, since most are afraid of the looming "real cuts" to their budgets, they are spending quickly and irresponsibly. Obama's administration is pushing so hard for results that there is little planning going on, just rushed spending.
And the budget deficit will soon pass 15 trillion, big fffffnnnn deal. And while you are at it soetoro, have the most transparent administration in history refuse a few more subpoenas you fraud.
Read the difference between "debt" and "deficits" and come back when you know what you are talking about.
Linda like the pot calling the kettle black, huh (pun)-------–
The Obama lovers are missing the point here. It’s not about blaming him for the problem, it’s about blaming him for not only not fixing the problem but making it much worse. It’s funny how some of you have mentioned he had bigger things to deal with, why don’t you tell us what they were? Also, tell me how all of this is Bush’s fault. What did he do specifically? The wars? We were attacked, and everyone seems to forget that. To make matters worse we were attacked on the same towers in 1993, so we knew their target, and we knew who they were, but the attack still happened in Bush’s 8th month as President. The cuts on Intelligence and DoD during the Clinton Administration fueled these failures. Now let’s look at the housing market. Bush is to blame? No, Clinton is to blame there as well. His administration pushed for more leniency on mortgages, opening the door for incredible amounts of fraud, and people buying homes they could not afford. So when Obama came into office, his budget was admittedly a mess, but instead of working the budget issues first, he put us further behind with his out of control spending. Also, the comment about bringing the troops home. Come on people, that was Bush’s plan to have them out by the end of this year. Obama did nothing, but take the credit. Also, I would like to see some facts by the Obama lovers. You keep saying he has done some much, so start listing facts. Not, “he has done great things”
In other words, as long as it was a Democratic president, it was their fault and no one else's? Grow up.
Grow up? I provide facts and you provide ignorant comments, and I need to grow up? I base my opinion on facts that are associated to the issues I believe are most important. Why don't you throw an educated opinion out there instead baseless comments.
I cant wait till this time next year when PRESIDENT OBAMA IS ONCE AGAIN THE PRESIDENT OF THE RACIST UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND YALL SHUT THE F@#K UP.
So I am a racist? You determine I am a racist based on this response? Fact is I am a bi-racial black male just like the president, but I am also a small business owner who has worked hard for everything I own, to include working 16 hour days at times. My business suffered greatly from the fraud associated with the decisions of the Clinton Administration. Now I am being told what I have to provide for my employees? It has been bad enough all the labor rules out there now, much less adding some more. Why don't you educate yourself before making ignorant statements?
Incognito,
Don't sweat the name callers! That is result of having NO arguments and no debating skills! Continued success in your business!
Mc Cain lost fool, get over it . He's doing a lot better job than your hating ass would.
It's neet to see the president touting saving millions when he wasted billions in signing the stimulus.
What "Swag"? He must be talking about all the political appointees that fill the roads in DC.
I'm a mid level government employee and we do most of our training online, only one person in 4 is authorized a rental car when a group has to go somewhere. We have a pool of "loaner" cell phones and laptops you sign out as needed and there is a pool of about 20 SUVs and cars (first come, first serve) for the 1,200 people in the office where I work.
Of course, it's not in DC either.
The worst abusers are Congress and there's nothing the President can do about them.
I love it. Sort of like the money my wife "saved" us when she bought a bunch of crap on sale. Yes, dear, you bought all that useless junk at a great price. That's showing everyone what saving is all about!!!
So here comes the Prez telling us how great he is at saving us all a bunch of money – only to spend it on other useless crap. Hey, is my wife working for you Mr. President?
The biggest waste of money in the government is poor management of personnel. It makes no sense to deny the government employees who are working and need these tools, or need to travel, when no one does anything about the other government employees next to them who play computer games all day for a 5 figure salary. The Obama administration is missing the big picture on government efficiency.
Three years after declaring he will run the most transparent administration in history and vowing to cut hundreds of billions in waste, fraud, and abuse to help pay for Obamacare he finally decides to cut $4billion in swag...... guess what? They are not even cuts, they are cuts that will not reduce the deficit, the cuts will just be redirected toward other spending projects.
The worse president in history, period.
It doesn't matter if he cuts, holds or spend.
You are like a nagging wife – you will only complain.
Truth be told.
Obama took over after we experienced eight years of absolute torture from the WORST, ABSOLUTE WORST IDIOT OF A PRESIDENT EVER! Obama inherited a war that should have never been fought, a deficit that was put in place by Bush and his Republican Congress, not to mention the moronic Vice President who pocketed a hefty sum of basically tax payers money by his no-bid contracts he procurred for Halliburton. Bush's personal advisors outed a CIA agent (they should have been hung up for treason), his Attorney General was firing people because they were not of his political party......Bush was a crook and so are members of the Republican Party.
I can't believe that y'all(dont even start with the grammar-police BS) think that Bush did all of this. Bush only had the nads to try more sinister stuff than what has been injected into the brains of Americans for DECADES. He failed miserably(or was that in the plan too?), and if it took Obama getting elected for you to open your eyes, then I feel sorry for you, but I am glad you awakened a little. Obama is the most crafty out of all of the past puppets. He's had alot of 'training videos' of what has worked and not worked for the past 100 years or more, to manipulate and deceive while looking good doing it.
Just saying.....
~Blessed Be to all~
Are you kidding me? The worst president in history? Do you know anything about history? Do you realize what kind of job this man took? If you ask me, Bush is one of the worst in history. Our debt came from him, we are fighting two wars because of him. I think the whole 9/11 attacks where staged
Nooooo......that would be Bush!! He lied about WMD and got into a war for no reason that cost Thousands of lives and bankrupt the country while letting banks and corporations and Wall Stret run wild with no regulations creating a downward whirlpool for the the middle class. Yep, that be Bush DUMB AZZ!!! Oh, but one thinng is true we do have the worst damn "do nothing" Congress in history thats for sure!!1
he has cut more than any other president
You only have to go back one president to find one worse them him among a multitude of others. Still haven't gotten over the September swoon huh?
So true!!!
Amen to that – absolutely the worst president.
HAHAHAHAHA!!! I whole heartedly disagree, I would obviously nominate our previous president who squandered a decent surplus for immoral and unnecessary wars. Also, I HIGHLY doubt you know enough about the American presidency history to even make this statement. You racist pig.
Just remember that cutting spending just means that some business is no longer being paid for a good or service therefore stopping them for hiring someone. Fewer profits, fewer dollars coming through a door means less jobs. Spending is not all it is feared to be. It really does not matter whether it is private or public spending as long as someone is buying as it just means money is circulating in the economy. We should not all be so blind and stupid.
Amen, to that.
It's not government spending that is the issue. It's spending money on items not needed, wanted or used that is wasteful. The military if full of these types of items. Flame retartent t-shirts that melt onto the soldiers instead of catching on fire that is so much better 🙁
We are a service centered economy now we need
Gov workers going to a conference in City X.
City X gets increase tax revenue
Services industries receive additional business (hotels, restaraunts, cabs, bars, the arts, hell even hookers (whom we should tax)
The tax payer money is being "for the most part" spent here benefiting it citizens.
who the heck cares what this major anti semitic president does? let him start by telling his insufferable wife that she can't go on those expensive vacations at taxpayers' expense.
He should ask his buddy, sarkozy, what to do...he seems to have a lot in common with him...they both hate Jews...sarkozy...all Jews...and obama, hates the American Jewish Community. Let's see how far that will get him!
yes he rates right up there with reagan and both the bush hunters
Really? The worst? Stop showing your ignorance.
I liked Obama in the beginning. I think he inheritied a lot from one of the worst presidents in history (Bush), but he also made bad decisions and waited to long to make others. It's going to take a lot more than these nickel and dime cuts. Let's start by getting rid of tax loopholes for individuals and companies. Oh yeah, the Republicans are in the way of that much needed measure. But, Obama is to blame. Idiot.
It's one thing to have an uninformed opinion. But it's quite another to have no memory.
The absolute worst President in U.S. history will show is- George W. Bush... by any measure [truthfulness to the citizenry/worst effect on the Treasury/worst effect on the economy... just for 3].
JoeD,
Let me toss this in there, just for thought!
1. How much could we have saved if Clinton got Bin Laden when he was offered up?
2. How much could we have saved if Clinton did not leave a housing bubble in the lap of Bush?
3. How much could we have saved in 9-11 never happened? (it did happen at the 9 month mark of the Bush presidency).
I don't know the answers but just something to think about! I agree Obama walked into some stuff but very few are willing to admit, Bush did too.
1. Bin Laden was not offered up to Bill Clinton. That is one of those lies certain media outlets promote, even though they know better.
2. What could any President do about the housing bubble? Although Clinton should have vetoed the repeal of the separation of commercial and investment banking.
3. 9/11 was so preventable. The Bush administration dropped the growing anti-terrorism effort because it did not fit their agenda of genning up Big War with Iraq.
There were ample opportunities to get Bin Laden. Bin Laden worked for the CIA and was protected by the CIA in the past. Federal Corporation and Khazars are the problem just as John Kennedy said.
Per factcheck.org (Clinton and Bin Laden),
"Let’s start with what everyone agrees on: In April 1996, Osama bin Laden was an official guest of the radical Islamic government of Sudan – a government that had been implicated in the attacks on the World Trade Center in 1993. y 1996, with the international community treating Sudan as a pariah, the Sudanese government attempted to patch its relations with the United States. At a secret meeting in a Rosslyn, Va., hotel, the Sudanese minister of state for defense, Maj. Gen. Elfatih Erwa, met with CIA operatives, where, among other things, they discussed Osama bin Laden.
It is here that things get murky. Erwa claims that he offered to hand bin Laden over to the United States. Key American players – President Bill Clinton, then-National Security Adviser Sandy Berger and Director of Counterterrorism Richard Clarke among them – have testified there were no "credible offers" to hand over bin Laden. The 9/11 Commission found "no credible evidence" that Erwa had ever made such an offer. On the other hand, Lawrence Wright, in his Pulitzer Prize-winning "The Looming Tower," flatly states that Sudan did make such an offer. Wright bases his judgment on an interview with Erwa and notes that those who most prominently deny Erwa’s claims were not in fact present for the meeting".
So it depends on who you want to believe!
Item 3, from politfact.org
"Here's what Tenet told the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States — better known as the 9/11 Commission — in April 2004 testimony:
"By the mid 1990s the intelligence community was operating with a significant erosion in resources and people, and was unable to keep pace with technological change. When I became director of central intelligence, I found a community and a CIA whose dollars were declining and whose expertise was ebbing. We lost close to 25 percent of our people and billions of dollars in capital investment."
As a result, Tenet said, the CIA no longer could "recruit, train and sustain officers for our clandestine services" and "the nation's human intelligence capability was in disarray."
Tenet was the CIA Director under Clinton.. Clinton was President in the mid 90's.
Again, it depends on who you want to believe!
Item #2
What could any President do about the housing bubble?
Exactly! If Clinton could have done something but didn't why is 100% of the blame going to Bush 43? As I said earlier Bush 41 started to tinker with Freddie an dFannie an dgot that ball rolling!
4 how much could we have saved if GH Bush would have finished the first Gulf war (maybe Cheney wouldn't have destroyed the Twin Towers just so him and Junior could go in an finish the job
Do any of you ever look in the mirror and wonder how you became the hate mongering dredges of society that you are?
Lo and behold! Modern day Marie Antoinette is preaching frugality. How ironic! Mr. President, how many millions have you spent on your public-financed campaign trips? Those millions could have created hundreds of jobs for us. And how many millions have you spent on paying back campaign donors like Solyndra and rewarding cronies like Tonopah? Hmm.... how about those expensive vacations in Martha's Vineyard and Spain? What about that $1 trillion you wasted on your so-called stimulus plan which didn't make a dent in unemployment but helped to stimulate generosity in your campaign donors? You need to practice what you preach and lead by example. If you genuinely want to save money, jobs and the economy, the solution is right there, staring at your face. It's called "QUIT".
michelle won't let him quit. She wants 4 more years of living large!
The GOP will whine about this as mush as they did when he had Osama killed.
We need Ron Paul!!!!!!!!!!!
How about trying to count the number of government buildings that are unused or unnecessary? If you ask each government agency how much square footage OR even number of buildings each agency has they couldn't tell you the answer. This is fact – there are government contracts to count buildings. Leave the smart phones alone for now, concentrate on the tougher things like counting buildings. Maybe Seasame Street and the Count can help out.
The article states that President Obama is taking steps Wednesday to cut billions of dollars in what the White House terms wasteful spending in the federal budget. Targeting areas such as government travel. Well..if obama would stop traveling as much as he does, then the government would really save some big bucks! Use teleconferencing instead. I guess that won't happen now that obama is in "campaign mode." Just another example of everyone but him, having to tighten their belts, eat their peas and like it.
Let's not forget about that million dollar bus that he just bought to troll around in to do his campaigning.
What an absolute slap in the face to the American people. This pathetic excuse for a so called president really thinks the American people doesn't see through his facade? This global banking elite puppet needs to go, and he needs to go NOW!!
yea probably a bilderbugger, mason, (blacks have their own branch you know) FEMA camp administrator ....garble garble mittzselgerber bla bla ron paul, @#$% illegals welfare queens hippy commies $%^# abby hoffman dirty protestors
Some of his suggestions are just plain stupid. For example the laptops. As computers are being replaced they are replacing them with laptops. It is no additional expense. It also goes along with his push to telecomute. Blackberries – I would agree with. The problem with the government they cut costs for things are necessary and spend on things that aren't. Just like welfare and everything else they do.
republicans who can't seem to find anything positive to say about the PEOPLE CHOICE for president need to grow up and come to grips with the fact that i am sure we will never become a one party goverment! when it comes to the off colored comments about this president trying to go around congress to get something done for this country you need to understand that most american people who work a full time job in this country work 250 days a year at the same time the house lead by republicans and their " john bonehead " leader have been in washington working at best 115 day this year! the republicans take so much pride in how the privite sector run so much better than the goverment they need to understand that the privite sector would have long ago FIRED full time workers with this kind of attendance problem!
It became very apparent early on that the so called "people's choice" as you say, were uneducated, ignorant sheeple. And now we know for sure that is the case.
You misspelled " private" twice, you spelled it "privite" and we're suppose to take you seriously??
So should I say positive things about the president when he bypasses congress unconstitutionally on a regular basis? Should I agree that since he's not a "constitutional professor" it's okay that he doesn't even attempt to follow the constitution?
RON PAUL 2012! THE ONLY INTELLIGENT CHOICE A FREEDOM AND LIBERTY LOVER HAS TO MAKE!!
In 1991, 20 years ago, I applied for social security disability. I was honorably discharged from the military in 1989 and the VA has rated me at 100% "Service-Connected" Disability. Soc. Sec. Admin had me evaluated by Alfred Zamora, MD of Milwaukee, Wisc. He determined I was disabled. Systemic incompetence & dishonest ALJ's have defrauded me out of these needed benefits. My mother is a widow, I have a wife and kids that depend on me. I need a FAIR & IMPARTIAL DECISION REVIEW OFFICER to re-open my claim and make it right. These thieves (ALJ's & lawyers) treat our benefits as if it were THEIR personal Trust Fund. KT in Iowa asks that you copy this to someone who can make a difference. God Bless.
How about living up to this by publishing all the solyndra documents on the web, rather than printing them... oh – wait... the WH won't turn them over even with a subpeona... worthless loser president...
What about the waste of money that NSF gives out. They give universities millions to study ridiculous things. It goes to professors who want to build up their publication list. The people at NSF do a very poor job at making sure money is spent wisely. Once given money is spent on any toys the professors want.
NSF budget should be cut 50%.
The President does the right thing and the idiot bought and paid for Republicans are taking over the CNN blogs . . . guess FOX is paying you guys to post here now, right?
may we now also get back all of the money we gave to Brazil to drill for dirty, filthy oil that obama said was not a good option in the u.s.?
"The latest plan aims to cut spending by 20% on travel..." Does this mean that Michelle's Mom is SOL?
It's a start, but it doesn't go far enough. Politicians need to learn the difference between "need" and "want". There are trillions of cuts that could be made if they would only figure that out.
Huh, so after vastly increasing government spending, he now decides to cut some of it right before re-election season. What a coincidence.
How about cutting your tax paid vacations!!!! Flying your wife and kids in a separate plane two hours behind costing hundreds of thousands of dollars doesn't sound like he's trying to cut costs!!!!
Go Obama. If you have to do it alone so be it.
Just got another propaganda email from a relative over the scandalous hr 1388 where they are shipping 225,000 Hamas soldiers to America to destroy us and Obama paid for it and snuck the bill through Congress. Since my relatives always send me that BS I fact check dot org it and like always turns out to be just more BS spin and fabrications.
All these "Worst President ever" posts crack me up. There is no way Obama is even in the same league as Bush for being worst. Bush intentionally lied and fabricated evidence to go to war killing hundreds of thousands of people. Then he destroyed our economy and handed out money to his rich friends.
Obama inherited that mess from the Republicans. Then they turned around and fought against any and everything Obama has tried to do to help America and the economy thinking that would buy them votes years later when Obama was up for re-election.
Don't like Obamacare because Universal Health Care is a wacky Socialist idea that will never work? Somebody forgot to tell the Republicans that ALL industrialized countries not named the USA already has Universal Health Care and they ALL pay half what we pay. They all cover ALL citizens. I dare Republicans to look it up for themselves, but they only know one channel, FOX News who is "Fair and Balanced"
PFFT!
It does not matter who has the power....DEMS or REPUBS, because the both abuse it once they are there and take anything and everything they think they have coming to them. Now to the original subject: the first SWAG that needs to be cut is congressional travel. I work overseas and we get one Congressional Delegation (CODEL) after another. Had one here this weekend and several got sick and had to cancel their "official meetings". Funny though, they were not TOO sick to go on a shopping spree. Hmm!
I'm guessing conservatives will still whine about this because it was done by executive order instead of having to go through the GOP shredder known as Congress.
The only person who is acting like an egotistical ass is Obama. He thinks he was elected as emperor of the United States. He thinks the presidency is his job for life. He has a low opinion of the American people thinking they are stupid and can be lied to. cnn is doing its best to spread the Obama propaganda. Zazzle.com has 'Obama you lie' T-shirt and cnn mangement needs pruchase them to get familar with the obvious truth.
Time for the President to get down to the job of ball busting politics and putting Congress in a political position they can't get out of.
Congress has been the North end of a Southbound herd of horses, pigs, and cattle. Different flavors but all asses.
All these posters along with the rest of the liberals out there who are desperately trying to make the American Jewish Community forget what obama and sarkozy had to say about Netanyahu WON'T SUCCEED. No one expected anything different from that bstrd sarkozy...but we did expect some semblance of decency from the president of the most powerful country in the world. obama disparaged Netanyahu and by doing that he showed his true colors...a vehement anti semite. He won't get a single Jewish vote in 2012 because the American Jewish Community will make sure to tell every single American Jew that voting for obama is voting for an anti semite and a major enemy of the State of Israel...the REpublican candidates will make sure that this incident never leaves the front page news and obama will be asked about this at the Presidential debates later in 2012. I can't wait to hear his babbling about this.
Sarkosy is Jewish!!! There is 'beginning' to be opinions from Jewish people around the world!! The right wing in Israel is not the only voice!!!
The democrats and obama can forget about winning Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania in Nov 2012. Losing the Jewish vote in those 3 states means losing those states. obama can count on losing those states.
Wrong. I'm betting the President wins Ohio and Pennsylvania. Florida is a toss-up (south). Good luck...with whoever the GOP nominee turns out to be....right now, they are tearing each other apart.
Cut the swag Obama and tell us about Solyndra. Not that you are any different than any other politician.. all of you are bought and paid for by big corporations.
obumer want less government ? Hells freeze over. bad lies.
Does this mean I cant get an Obama tire guage on capitol hill anymore?
Of course he wants to cut frivolous spending on travel, now. After all, his wife has already made her European Tour on the American dime. A little too late, don't you think?
But honestly, he did fools the Jewish community...who thinks if you have a degree you're smarter than everyone else....anyone who was paying attention to "HIM" not his degree could see from day one he hates the Jewish and is anit-American. Please the man is a wanbe Castro...without the guts to be.
That trip was paid for by the Obamas. Just like the remodel and decorating of the white house was paid for by the Obamas. JUst google it. You do know how to do that right?
Oddly, "self-inflicting austerity" measures like these actually will hurt the nation's economy. This was largely money spent in the United States – commerce with American firms, manufacturers and air carriers. This may cut the federal budget a bit, but will come at a cost to commerce and Government's ability to perform its missions (swag aside).
Good morning Don,
You said" This may cut the federal budget a bit".
I problem is it won't cut the budget at all. Tthese savings are going to other programs! Not a dime is being used to pay down the debt. That is my issue! It appears NO one is serious about paying down the debt! This would have been a good start!
Because the President is getting flack for raising taxes .5 on those making 1million, to help put people back to work. He found some saving and revsting in infrastructure trying to get jobs programs started. So do you really have to ask why. Alert: the debt is very real, but if there are no jobs to create revenue (more taxes being collected) the debt stays the same. Because alot of the rich are unwilling to do theri civil duty as citizens of theis country, "PAY YOUR TAXES"
Not would have been....I think it IS happening. I just think there will be a cost to American businesses and commerce. Unfortunately – nothing comes without a price. So, which is more important, preserving American jobs or reducing the deficit (even a little)? We all may answer diferently, but that is the choice.
@Don,
There should be a balanced approach to this. I will say Don, if we fail to seriously address the debt, it will only it will only get larger and get worse.
Agreed, I like the Dem plan to the supercommittee, 1 trillion in cuts (reduced spending) and 1 trillion in revenue (taxes). Again, we should not ignore the ugly non-political truth, that reduced government spending takes money OUT of the U.S. economy.
@kc4run,
I agree folks should pay their taxes and would add that should very well apply to corporations like GE, who paid nothing last year. Tax loop holes need to be closed..
I like the fact that this cut didn't require an act of Congress – or else, of course, it wouldn't be happening.
Barry himself is a BAD SWAG. He shall be cut from Government in 2012.
Given all the Campaign Travel the Prez takes – IF he could STAY HOME and LEAD – it would be helpful – having him FLY all around and collect his Millions in Campaign donations is NOT helping get the Congress under control – – STOP TRAVELING boss
IIt's call taking the toys for the babbies. make these idiots spend their own money for once and stop getting handouts or freerides off the tax payers. Maybe they the GOP will get off their fat ass and do something now that the swag is going.
Do you really believe that Obama is the worst president in US history? If you do then you obviously have never actually studied US history... Hoover was definitely a worse president. Maybe before you throw ignorant statements like that around you should actually think about what you're saying.
Government Swag?? Isn't that a contradiction in terms? I've worked for Uncle Sam for nearly 20 years and I have never heard of anything remotely close to the goodies that could be considered swag. Cripes.... I have pay for my own office supplies just to do my job. Man, I must be working for the wrong agency... but then again I'm just one of the ignored worker bees who actually do the work. No swag for us.
I agree. Believe it or not I worked at an agency that was actually going to require employees to bring in their own toilet paper it had gotten so bad. Travel had been cut back for years with the growing internet and video conferencing. I received an email from the WH today on the save award finalists. Those ideas are good, but I have seen all of that implemented before, I just can't believe this stuff is not common sense. I would be embarrassed to say these ideas were not thought by the leadership and implemented as part of continous improvement.
As he prepares to fly off to Asia, spending $10 of millions on Air FOrce One, friends and carting the press and publicists around.
Bull when Bush did it for years and had a vacation 9 months out of the year did you question him, an half ran the country did you question him dumbo ??????????????
"All the savings will be reinvested." Really, then why bother? $4b in saved spending is just an act.
no different than Al Gore telling us to lower our carbon footprint while he flies from mansion so summer home and back. liberal hypocrites.
i expect him to be bad – talked over this. Carter was the last one with the nads to pull limo's. and they tried to make him a bad guy too
how can a plant be soo bad ? ITS NOT ... its our freedom to choose what we want to put in our bodys ... its our body...not theres... ( FREEDOM )...isnt that what america suppose to be???
It's a good thing for Obama that the open mike caught Sarkozy with the ad hominem attack on Netanyahu rather than the president.
"I can't stand him. He's a liar," Sarkozy said. Obama was heard to say, "You're tired of him - what about me? I have to deal with him every day."
Then he (your president) will turn around and kiss Netanyahu's ring. For this president hypocrisy knows no bounds...
0BAMA'S RECORD (so far)
1. Record Obama US unemployment going on 3rd year 24 Million out of work still
2. Record Deficits with Obama/Democrat spending of $5.3 Trillion in first 2 years alone.
3. Record 3 Wars Raging under Nobel Peace prize hypocrite Obama.
4. Record Homes foreclosed on and business failures.Homes worth 30%+plus less.
5. Record 1 in 7 on Obama Food Stamps.
6. Record Bailouts and 0bamacare waivers for Union Thugs & Big Bank Crooks.
7. Record number of oil rigs shut down or left the country as ordered by Obama's DOE
8. Record lies and broken promises Gitmo still open after 30months.
9. Record bigger government and more Obama Czars than Russia ever had.
10. Record Vacations and Golf outings on Taxpayers dime for Obama family.
11. Record closed door meetings and No-Transparency.
12. Record of first time Americas debt rating downgraded.
13. Forcing DOE to provide $535M to a shaky Solyndra
14. Approving Operation Fast & Furious where our agents and citizens were murdered
Feel free to add your own....
Obama, you have my vote again. Keep up the good work.
HYPOCRITE OF HYPOCRITES!! Hey B.O., tell your wife to stop taking her multi-million dollar vacations at taxpayer expense. Also, stop taking CAMPAIGN trips at taxpayer expense. And didn't I read something about White House salaries have been raised $4,000,000 since Bush left office? The word "hypocrite" almost isn't enough to describe Obama and his Chicago thugs.
Cutting mobile phones for government employees is a nice idea, but don't exepct them to use their personal cell phones for government business. That's just shifting the cost from the O&M to the Payroll Account! That was a serious pain back when phones were new and I was expected,as a Captain, to provide cell phone service at no cost the US AIr Force... because managing a $100M contract with 5 locations and a team spread all over the country (which is not uncommon) just didn't pack the gear to support a $35/mo mobile phone.
Yes Clinton leaft a mess but Bush did not fix it just lied about everything and got us into 2 wars for no reason, then was part of destroying twin towers and he is FREE! obama got the same mess and did nothing but threw trillions away as he is totally inept! Comgress was the same players throughout–get em all out, impeech obama now, stop spending and cut 10 trillion NOW–it can be done–then taraff China at 65% and force FAIR FREE TRADE not Free Trade w/countries keeping atrificial prices low. Take back America!
Obama, quit lying about your birth. Man up and resign.
THis from the president who has spent more than any other? Who took air force one to NYC for a date with his wife? Who's bus tour was a 200 million dollar cost to the country? Not buying it.
You have to remember making cuts for the budget is good but these cuts are peoples jobs as well. You have to be careful what you cut as well as how much.
What happened to your jobs bills douch bag?
this couldn't have been done 30 or 40 years ago? DC really is clueless!
To all you complaining that Obama takes too much vacation:
After 31 months in office....
Obama: 61 days of vacation
W Bush: 180 days of vacation
Reagan: 112 days of vacation
So shut up, or find some other moot point to be refuted.
The problem is we have created too much of a void between parties. You know, politicians used to have to BE IN D.C. and Reps and Dems would share apartments and therefore worked better together(although, admittedly not always). There is a compromise. There isn't a simple fix but this is progress towards setting an example. I'm glad he is doing this. Time to re-evaluate.
The President once again trying to get something done since we have an AWOL Congress. Seriously, where is Congress? Are they still on vacation? What a worthless bunch of #@&*%$.
Does this mean that Michele will be putting a halt to her monthly vacations?
Does this mean that Michele will put a halt to her monthly vacations?
Boy! What a bunch of name-calling juveniles you all are. For goodness' sakes! Don't you have anything better to do than bash each other for commenting on things about which you know little to nothing?
Most every comment here is childish and immature and not very well thought out!
He needs money to fund more BS overseas, and other things, that we have no business being in.
---------
From the article;
'While the administration is cutting costs the savings won’t go toward cutting the debt or deficit.
All the savings will be reinvested.
“The billions that is no longer spent on unnecessary travel, printing, IT devices, or other extraneous items – will allow us to focus our resources on the things that really matter, like supporting veterans and our armed forces, and investing in our nation’s infrastructure to help grow the economy,” an administration official told CNN. '
-------------
The armed forces is the top thought. The last thought was reinvesting in the infrastructure of the nation.
Sounds good to the sheep that way.
To the troops deployed anywhere but here in the US– AWOL and come home if you have to, your families need you HERE !! Otherwise, stay being a puppet without any real cause..other than distraction for the forthcoming intentions.
If it's any consolation...I'm not a radical disbelieving fool. I sincerely hope that I am wrong...but I do not think that I am.
Either way....
Blessed Be to all.
its not enough. department of energy announced it is finally requiring travellers to buy refundable tickets. the big issue with this is you have been given out excess cash (potentially) to travellers this whole time. As a taxpayer, I want those accounts audited. the following are what to look for
1. cancelling the flight (cashing in the ticket) after being reimbursed
2. cashing in the ticket and buying a flight on a cheaper carrier, pocketing the difference
if a flight didnt take place or a flight took place on a different carrier – that person may have stolen from the government. investigate, prosecute and set some examples. btw, congress and executive staffers should not be exempt!
i applaud the minimal efforts mentioned in the story but it is far from enough!
How's about starting with Congress. They work a few years of their life and are SET. take out one members of congress' luxeries in their job and that would equal just as much as limiting smartphone handouts and such
How about cutting out Obama !
Until they stop the lie invasions, cut military spending to bases ONLY IN the US, and quit giving every other country foreign aid, we will NEVER be out of debt.
Mr President..........lets start with YOUR wars and assassinations.....lets also start with your vacations and golf sessions and especially and domestically....your free rides on Air Force One......all in all lets start with YOUR chair in the Oval Office! Talk about SWAG.......man, you have all the SWAG we want!
Quitting is hard. And by a long time, I mean days and days. We fell off the wagon a few days ago and it had been a couple of weeks before that. Debbie(Quote)
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