Research Briefing

One Year After Obama Promised Change, Senate Dems Confirm His Era Of Irresponsible Binge Spending Is Here To Stay, Unless Voters Stop Them In November

OBAMA’S INAUGURAL THEME: “What Is Required Of Us Is A New Era Of Responsibility …” (President Barack Obama, Inaugural Address, Washington, DC, 1/20/09)

AFTER CELEBRATING OBAMA’S 1^ST YEAR IN OFFICE, DEMS TO RAISE AMERICA’S CREDIT CARD LIMIT

After Anniversary Of Obama’s Inauguration, Senate Dems To Vote On Raising America’s Credit Card Limit. “The Senate will immediately consider a longer-term debt limit bill, along with several proposed amendments, on Jan. 20, the day after reconvening. Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., will offer a substitute that would increase the $13.029 trillion debt ceiling currently included in the bill, although it’s unclear how large the increase would be.” (Geoff Koss, “Senate Clears Debt Limit Bill,” Congressional Quarterly, 12/24/09)

• Senate Democrats Want To Increase Debt Limit By $1.9 Trillion, The Largest One Time Increase In American History, More Than Double The Previous Record. “Senate Democrats have proposed permitting the federal government to borrow an additional $1.9 trillion to pay its bills. That would permit the national debt to reach $14.3 trillion.” (“Democrats Propose $1.9T In Debt Limit,” The Associated Press, 1/20/10)

Dems Already Passed $290 Billion Debt Limit Increase On Christmas Eve.  “The U.S. Congress passed legislation increasing the U.S. debt limit by $290 billion before recessing for the year.” (Jonathan D. Salant and Brian Faler, “Senate Votes to Increase Debt Ceiling by $290 Billion (Update1),” BusinessWeek, 12/24/10)

• Even Though Debt Ceiling Was Already Increased By $789 Billion Earlier In 2009. “If Congress agrees to the Treasury’s request it would mark the second increase in the debt ceiling this year. The economic stimulus package passed by Congress earlier this year increased the debt ceiling by $789 billion to $12.1 trillion.” (Michael R. Crittenden And Patrick Yoest, “Lawmakers Urged To Raise Nation’s Debt Limit,” The Wall Street Journal, 8/10/09)

White House “Strongly Supports” Hiking The Debt Ceiling. "The administration strongly supports passage of an increase in the public debt limit. Such an increase is critically important to make sure that financing of federal government operations can continue without interruption and that the creditworthiness of the United States is not called into question." (“Raising The Roof,” Politico 44, 1/20/10)

CONTINUING THE DEMS’ DANGEROUS BINGE SPENDING HABIT IN 2010, AN IRRESPONSIBLE PATTERN ENABLED BY OBAMA IN 2009

In 2010, Obama’s Non-Defense Discretionary Spending To Increase By 16 Percent, Highest 1-Year Increase Since Jimmy Carter In 1978. (Office Of Management And Budget, “Table 8.7--Outlays For Discretionary Programs: 1962-2014,” Accessed 12/11/09)

• Obama’s Deficit Expected To Reach Record $1.5 Trillion In FY 2010. (White House Office Of Management And Budget, “Mid-Session Review: Fiscal Year 2010,” 8/25/09)

• But Obama Still Rushing To Pass  $2.5 Trillion Government-Run Health Care Experiment. Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT): “Just for a second -- health care reform, whether you use a ten-year number or when you start in 2010 or start in 2014, wherever you start at, so it is still either $1 trillion or it’s $2.5 trillion, depending on where you start...” (Sen. Max Baucus, Floor Remarks, 12/2/09)

• And Is Pushing For $174 Billion Stimulus II. “The House narrowly passed Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) $174 billion jobs bill Wednesday, only after Pelosi and other party leaders yelled, pleaded and cajoled reluctant Democrats worried over deficit spending. The vote was 217-212. No Republicans voted for the bill, and 38 Democrats voted against it.” (Mike Soraghan and Jared Allen, “House Narrowly Passes Pelosi’s $174B Jobs Bill,” The Hill, 12/16/09)

Obama Started 2009 By Signing $787 Billion Stimulus Bill In Which Has Failed To Prevent Unemployment From Reaching Double Digits. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 1/11/10)

• In March, Obama Signed $410 Billion Omnibus Spending Bill Containing Over 8,500 Earmarks Worth $7.7 Billion. “President Barack Obama signed a $410 billion spending bill Wednesday ... that includes more than 8,500 pet projects worth $7.7 billion.” (Jonathan Weisman and Greg Hitt, “Obama Outlines Plan To Curb Earmarks,” The Wall Street Journal, 3/12/09)

• In December, Obama Signed $450 Billion Omnibus Spending Bill That Increases Non-Defense Discretionary Spending By 12 Percent From Last Year. “The sweeping omnibus package ... reflects a 12 percent increase in discretionary spending over last year ...” (H.R. 3288, Roll Call Vote #949; Approved 221-202; D 221-28; R 0-174 , 12/10/09; Jennifer Bendery, “Both Parties Pile Earmarks Onto Spending Bill,” Roll Call, 12/10/09)

• Obama’s Spending Contributed To Record Deficit Of $1.42 Trillion In FY 2009, Three Times More Than Previous Record Year Before. “The Obama administration has released new deficit numbers, and they are not pretty. The deficit for fiscal year 2009, which ended Sept. 30, came in at a record $1.42 trillion, more than triple the record set just last year.” (David Jackson, “Obama Team Makes It Official, Budget Deficit Hits Record. By A Lot,” USA Today’s “The Oval“ Blog, 10/16/09)

Obama’s Budget Will Create $9.1 Trillion In Debt Over Next Decade, Nearly The Amount Of Debt America Has Accrued In Its Entire History Up To July 2008 ($9.5 Trillion). (“An Analysis Of The President’s Budgetary Proposals For Fiscal Year 2010,” Congressional Budget Office, June 2009; Public Debt, www.treasurydirect.gov, Accessed 7/20/09)

BUT VOTERS READY TO STOP OBAMA DEMOCRATS THIS NOVEMBER

Last Year, In Virginia And New Jersey, “Vast Economic Discontent Marked The Mood Of … Off-Year Voters, Portending Potential Trouble For Incumbents Generally And Democrats In Particular In 2010.” (Gary Langer, “‘09 Exit Polls: Voters Approve Of Obama, Wary Of Economy,” ABC News, 11/4/09)

According To Latest Pew Research Center Poll, Americans Have Soured On Obama’s Binge Spending, Big-Government Agenda:

• 58 Percent Of Americans Disapprove Of Obama’s Handling Of The Federal Deficit, While 32 Percent Approve. (“Few See Personal Upside To Health Care Reform,” The Pew Research Center, 1/14/10) 

• 51 Percent Of Americans Disapprove Of Obama’s Handling Of The Economy, While 42 Percent Approve. (“Few See Personal Upside To Health Care Reform,” The Pew Research Center, 1/14/10) 

• 52 Percent Of Americans Disapprove Of Obama’s Handling Of Health Care, While 38 Percent Approve. (“Few See Personal Upside To Health Care Reform,” The Pew Research Center, 1/14/10)

That’s Why Dems Now Trail GOP By 9 Percent In Generic Ballot Polling, 16 Percent Swing Since Obama Took Office. (3,500 LVs, MoE +/- 2, 1/4-1/10/10; “Generic Congressional Ballot,” Rasmussen Reports, 1/12/10)