Research Briefing

Instead Of Criticizing, Obama Should Ask Himself Why This Short-Term Budget Fix Was Even Necessary

“‘[W]e Cannot Keep Doing Business This Way,’ Obama Said After The Senate Approved The [Short-Term Continuing] Resolution.” (Shailagh Murray and Lori Montgomery,  “Obama Invites Congressional Leaders To Meet With Biden On Budget,” The Washington Post, 3/2/11)

SO WHY IS ANOTHER SHORT-TERM BUDGET FIX NEEDED?

Because Democrats Failed To Pass A Budget Last Year

“Some Version Of The CR Is Needed To Avoid A Shutdown Since The Democratic-Led Congress Failed To Pass A Budget Last Year.” (Stephanie Condon, “Is a Government Shutdown in March on the Table?” CBS News, 2/16/11)

• The House Failed To Pass A Budget For The First Time Since 1974, Because Democrats Didn’t “Want To Make Vulnerable Democrats Vote For Another Spending Bill.” ABC’s Jake Tapper:  “I want to say, the theory is that you don't want to make vulnerable Democrats vote for another spending bill, and that's why, for the first time since 1974 there isn't going to be a house budget.”  (ABC’s “This Week,” 6/13/10)

Because Obama Hasn’t Bothered To Engage In The Debate

Even Democrats Are Displaying An “Open Irritation” With Obama’s Inability To Lead On Budget. “The open irritation with the White House comes just as Reid announced support for the Republican-led bill which passed in the House Tuesday and funds the government for another two weeks, while slashing $4 billion.” (Manu Raju, “Democrats: Barack Obama Must Lead On Budget,” Politico, 3/1/11)

“Yet The Dots Connect To Form An Unsettling Portrait Of A ‘Where's Waldo?’ Presidency: You Frequently Have To Squint To Find The White House Amid The Larger Landscape.” (Ruth Marcus, Op-Ed, “Obama’s ‘Where’s Waldo?’ Presidency,” The Washington Post, 3/2/11)

“Democratic Senators Are Frustrated With The Low-Profile President Barack Obama Has Kept During The Rancorous Spending Debate Dominating Capitol Hill, Urging Him Tuesday To Take An Assertive Role …” (Manu Raju, “Democrats: Barack Obama Must Lead On Budget,” Politico, 3/1/11)

Because Obama Has Been Preoccupied With “Other” Matters

The President Found Time To Tape A Cameo For The Academy Awards. “President Obama made a surprise pre-taped cameo at Sunday's Academy Awards program, where he divulged his all-time favorite movie song was As Time Goes By, performed by Dooley Wilson in the 1942 film Casablanca.” (Bonney Kapp, “Obama’s Oscars Cameo,” CNN’s “The 1600 Report” Blog, 2/27/11)

Obama Also Partied With One Of The Jonas Brothers At The White House At A Celebration Of Motown. “Since arriving at the White House in 2009, the Obamas have hosted concerts celebrating individual strands of American music: jazz, country, Latin, classical and Broadway. But for the second straight February, this year's Black History Month event welcomed a genre-blind swath of artists: Motown original Smokey Robinson, genre jumper Sheryl Crow, R&B singer John Legend, heartthrob Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers ...” (Chris Richards, “Motown Meets White House,” The Washington Post, 2/24/11)

Obama Is Scheduled To Fly Down To Miami Beach On Friday For A Fundraiser. “President Barack Obama will travel to Florida next month to headline a fundraiser for Sen. Bill Nelson, who could face a rough road to re-election next year. The president will attend the March 4 event along with Nelson and Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, chairwoman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, according to a source with knowledge of the event. The dinner and reception is being held at the Miami Beach, Florida home of Judith and Michael Adler, large contributors to Democratic candidates and causes.” (Paul Steinhauser, “Obama To Florida For Nelson Fundraiser,” CNN, 2/18/11)

Because Democrats Are More Interested In Politics Than Solutions

Democrats Believe They Would Have “Political Edge On The Issue” If The Continuing Resolution Were To Expire. “Senate Democrats are talking about a possible government shutdown more than Republicans, a sign that Democrats are confident they have the political edge on the issue. Senate Democrats have met with senior White House officials in preparation for an intense clash with Republicans over government spending levels and a proposal to increase the national debt ceiling. The three highest-ranking Senate Democratic leaders warned on Thursday that a shutdown is a real possibility.” (Alexander Bolton, “Government Shutdown On The Lips Of Senate Democrats, Not Republicans,” The Hill, 2/4/11)

The President’s Budget Reflects The White House’s Deference To Political Calculations Over Policy Solutions. "With the budget he is to unveil Monday, President Obama has not opted for the bold, comprehensive approach to reining in the fast-growing federal debt that his own fiscal commission has said is needed, now. That decision partly reflects Mr. Obama's characteristic caution, but also a White House calculation: that 'now' is too soon for the nation's political system."  (Jackie Calmes, "A Cautious Approach Seeking Bipartisan Appeal," The New York Times, 2/13/11)

• A Senior Democrat Aide Called Republicans “Suckers” For Offering To Show Leadership On Entitlements. “‘They are suckers,’ said one senior Democratic Congressional aide of the House GOP plans to release the first detailed proposals to reduce entitlement spending. ‘They have painted themselves into a corner.’” (Glen Thrush, “Has Obama Set GOP Entitlement Trap?”  Politico, 2/16/11)

MEANWHILE, SPENDING REMAINS OUT OF CONTROL

Deficits Will Total $7.2 Trillion Over The Next Ten Years. (Office of Management and Budget, “Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Of The U.S. Government – Table S-1,” WhiteHouse.gov, 2/14/11)

The Deficit In FY2012 Is Slated To Be $1.1 Trillion In FY2012. (Office of Management and Budget, “Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Of The U.S. Government – Table S-1,” WhiteHouse.gov, 2/14/11)

• “The Annual Deficit Would Recede To $1.1 Trillion Next Year, As Obama's Latest Policies Began To Take Effect - The Fourth Straight Year Of Trillion-Dollar Deficits.”  (Lori Montgomery, “Obama Budget Projects Record $1.6 Trillion Deficit,” The Washington Post, 2/14/11)

The FY2011 Budget Deficit Is Expected To Reach A Post-WWII Record Of $1.645 Trillion. (Office of Management and Budget, “Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Of The U.S. Government – Table S-1,” WhiteHouse.gov, 2/14/11)

• The FY2011 Deficit Will Total 10.9% Of GDP. (Office of Management and Budget, “Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Of The U.S. Government – Table S-1,” WhiteHouse.gov, 2/14/11)

Obama’s Budget Adds $13 Trillion In New Debt. (Office of Management and Budget, “Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Of The U.S. Government – Table S-14,” WhiteHouse.gov, 2/14/11)

• “And The Administration Says It Will Reach $15.476 Trillion By Sept. 30, The End Of The Fiscal Year, To Reach 102.6 Percent Of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) — The First Time Since World War II That Dubious Figure Has Been Reached.”  (Stephen Dinan, “Debt Now Equals Total U.S. Economy,” The Washington Times, 2/14/11)

In 2021, Gross Debt Will Total $26.3 Trillion, Equaling 107 Percent Of GDP.   (Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Of The U.S. Government – Table S-14,” Office Of Management And Budget, 2/14/11)

WHICH IS WHY AMERICANS ARE FED UP WITH OBAMA’S LACK OF LEADERSHIP

“Voters Disapprove 58 – 36 Percent Of The Way Obama Is Handling The Federal Budget Deficit, The Independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-Uh-Pe-Ack) University Survey Finds.”  (Mark Halperin, “Quinnipiac Poll: Obama Preferred To Policies,” Time’s “The Page” Blog, 3/3/11)

• “They Say 51 – 10 Percent That He Will Cut Spending Too Little Rather Than Too Much …” (Mark Halperin, “Quinnipiac Poll: Obama Preferred To Policies,” Time’s “The Page” Blog, 3/3/11)
• “…  And 44 – 14 Percent That He Will Raise Taxes Too Much Rather Than Too Little …” (Mark Halperin, “Quinnipiac Poll: Obama Preferred To Policies,” Time’s “The Page” Blog, 3/3/11)