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Line by Line: Some Obama Budget Cuts

By Harry Kimball,  Newser Staff

Posted May 7, 2009 2:30 PM CDT
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(Newser) – President Obama said today proposed budget cuts are “not a criticism of” federal workers. Still, they take a toll, from defense to education. The Washington Post takes a look at what’s being trimmed:

  • Anthrax vaccine research: The administration says the goals of the program have been met, and its cancellation will save $8 million.
  • Cotton storage: The government will save $570 million in payments to growers waiting for higher prices.

  • Even Start: A troubled education program that funds local literacy programs. Savings: $66 million in 2010.
  • The F-22: The administration is satisfied with the 187 fighter aircraft on order, but whether influential proponents will let the program die is another question.
  • Yucca Mountain: The nuclear waste repository program in Nevada will be shut down, and $196.8 million provided to pursue other options.
  • No more contractors: The Pentagon will reduce its employment of civilian contractors to pre-2001 levels, saving $900 million by 2015.
For a more detailed list, click the link below.

The F-22 Raptor.
The F-22 Raptor.   (AP Photo)
A farmer picking cotton.
A farmer picking cotton.   (AP Photo)
President Barack Obama speaks about the fiscal 2010 federal budget as Budget Director Peter Orszag looks on.
President Barack Obama speaks about the fiscal 2010 federal budget as Budget Director Peter Orszag looks on.   (AP Photo)
President Barack Obama.
President Barack Obama.   (AP Photo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 6 comments
serfinWI
May 8, 2009 12:49 PM CDT
Ok, class, let's keep on track. You are all getting off track, hee, hee. This is about the budget cuts and your our commander and chief is taking a teeny, tiny pen knife to it to make us all think he's doing a great deed. Let's do the math rather than call each other names. You'll have to use your computer calculator, because a regular desk top calculator doesn't have enough space for all the zeros. The above added up to $1,740,800,000. Type that into your handy, dandy calculator. (There was no price tag on that F22, so I just didn't put that in as it won't really make a difference as you will soon see.) Now hit the division button. Then type in Obama's budget (the total amount before above total is "axed"....how much he and his best buddies in Congress are planning on spending) That number is 3,500,000,000,000. Now if you typed everything in correctly (I had to do it several times to be sure) your answer will be 4.973714 e-4, which is .0005 (rounded) and convert to percent (move decimal to the right twice is .05%. Hail Obama!! Most of our budget is spent on Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and Defense. Unless one of those is on his pen knife list, none of his "cuts' are going to make a d*** bit of difference, except make us think he is really doing something behind his smoke and mirrors.
dearlizzie
May 8, 2009 4:05 AM CDT
And get a less dorky name if you want to be taken seriously.
dearlizzie
May 8, 2009 4:04 AM CDT
It's the DOT's 10 year old plan. And its not just the DOT's trains, they're yours and mine too! You obviously don't live near an urban center or an urban corridor so you can be forgiven for not getting it. But when I get the chance to leave my car at home and travel by rail, I am very happy to do so. But no cuts to strategic energy plans. We are about the last nation to be getting fast trains. Connecting more routes means more people can use them and fewer cars have to be on the road. We need to get a start now so this is complete in 10-20 years, when we will really need them.

$17B in cuts just 0.5% of budget
Los Angeles Times

Politics • US

 
education • Pentagon • budget cuts • anthrax • Yucca Mountain • defense • federal budget • Obama administration • defense contractors • President Obama • F-22 fighter jet • cotton • federal programs • Even Start

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