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What Obama Will —and Should— Say in His Budget Speech

Some advice for the POTUS ahead of today's address

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Apr 13, 2011 7:55 AM CDT

(Newser) – Here’s what we know about President Obama’s budget speech today: He’s going to lay out a four-step, long-term budget-reduction plan. It’s going to involve defense cuts, tax code changes, and recommendations from his deficit commission. And he’s going to stress keeping domestic spending low and reducing health care spending, according to Roll Call. But here’s what Politico thinks he should say:

  • Pummel Paul Ryan: Ryan’s budget is ripe for attack—after all, he wants to privatize Medicare, the most popular government program around.
  • Don’t cozy up to the Gang of Six: A group of bipartisan negotiators in the Senate is working on a budget plan, but the last thing they want right now is a presidential endorsement, sources say.
  • Dog-whistle to the base: Obama needs to say something to keep liberals on his side, but then…
  • Throw liberals under the bus: Any deficit reduction plan this ambitious is a tacit trip into Republican territory. There’s no way it will please progressives.
  • Go to Camp David: He’s got to do more than give a speech, and nothing says serious like a summit at Camp David.

Barack Obama enters the East Room for an event in this file photo.
Barack Obama enters the East Room for an event in this file photo.   (Getty Images)
Barack Obama speaks during a reenactment of his speech on the budget for press photographers in the Blue Room of the White House, April 8, 2011.
Barack Obama speaks during a reenactment of his speech on the budget for press photographers in the Blue Room of the White House, April 8, 2011.   (Getty Images)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 24 comments
RogerMohajir
Apr 13, 2011 11:58 AM CDT
What Obama should say: He will refuse to sign any cost-cutting legislation that does not demonstrate a one-to-one match between cuts in services to moderate and low income Americans with increases in taxes on corporations and the wealthy (who have enjoyed more than a decade of reductions and handouts). You want to cut Food Stamps by $1 billion? Then you have to raise taxes on the wealthy and large corporations by $1 billion. This will make sure that budget cuts get proper consideration from Republicans (since cuts to those who don't vote for them mean tax increases for those who bankroll them) and provide built in deficit and debt reduction, since the value of each cut is doubled by the matching increase in revenue. In order to actually collect some taxes from corporations, he should call for an Alternative Minimum Tax, just like individuals have to pay. The Alternative Minimum Tax could be set as low as 5% of the profit reported to shareholders. If tax deductions and credits would reduce a corporation's tax liability below that amount, they have to pay at least that much. GE, for example, would owe $700 million, instead of zero on its $14 billion in 2010 profits.
Reader65069154
Apr 13, 2011 10:53 AM CDT
John Boehner said it in the plainest, non-partisan terms I've seen yet: "We don't have deficits because Americans are taxed too little, we have deficits because Washington spends too much."
chutzpah217
Apr 13, 2011 8:25 AM CDT
Hope everyone ~ especially Pres. Obama's opposition ~ listens carefully to his proposals. The President has integrity and intelligence and, for the sake of America, I hope everyone sorts thru it all and will try to come together for the good of us all! Come together because no one likes the alternative . . . well, some people propose only opposition (never solutions) but where has that gotten us so far?!? We should all be on the side of the US ~ If you're not part of the solution then you're part of the problem! What's so funny 'bout peace, love and understanding?
 

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