Budget Tricks Helped Obama Save Programs From Cuts
- Posted on April 12, 2011 at 12:28pm by
Scott Baker
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Details of last week’s hard-won agreement to avoid a government shutdown and cut federal spending by $38 billion were released Tuesday morning. They reveal that the budget cuts, while historic, were significantly eased by pruning money left over from previous years, using accounting sleight of hand and going after programs President Barack Obama had targeted anyway.
Such moves permitted Obama to save favorite programs — Pell grants for poor college students, health research and “Race to the Top” aid for public schools, among others — from Republican knives.
And big holes in foreign aid and Environmental Protection Agency accounts were patched in large part. Republicans also gave up politically treacherous cuts to the Agriculture Department’s food inspection program.
The full details of Friday’s agreement were released early Tuesday Morning. They reveal a lot of one-time savings and cuts that officially “score” as cuts to pay for spending elsewhere, but often have little to no actual impact on the deficit.
As a result of the legerdemain, Obama was able to reverse many of the cuts passed by House Republicans in February when the chamber approved a bill slashing this year’s budget by more than $60 billion. In doing so, the White House protected favorites like the Head Start early learning program, while maintaining the maximum Pell grant of $5,550 and funding for Obama’s “Race to the Top” initiative that provides grants to better-performing schools.
Instead, the cuts that actually will make it into law are far tamer, including cuts to earmarks, unspent census money, leftover federal construction funding, and $2.5 billion from the most recent renewal of highway programs that can’t be spent because of restrictions set by other legislation. Another $3.5 billion comes from unused spending authority from a program providing health care to children of lower-income families.
Still, Obama and his Democratic allies accepted $600 million in cuts to a community health centers programs, $414 million in cuts to grants for state and local police departments, and a $1.6 billion reduction in the Environmental Protection Agency budget, almost $1 billion of which would come from grants for clean water and other projects by local governments and Indian tribes.
The National Institutes of Health, which funds critical medical research, would absorb a $260 million cut, less than 1 percent of its budget, instead of the $1.6 billion cut sought by House Republicans. Family planning programs would bear a 5 percent cut rather than being completely eliminated.
Homeland security programs would have to take their first-ever cut, though much of the 2 percent decrease comes from a $786 million cut to first responder grants to state and local governments. The IRS would see its budget frozen but be spared the 5 percent cut sought by House Republicans.
About $10 billion of the cuts already have been enacted as the price for keeping the government open as negotiations progressed; lawmakers tipped their hand regarding another $10 billion or so when the House passed a spending bill last week that ran aground in the Senate.
For instance, the spending measure reaps $350 million by cutting a one-year program enacted in 2009 for dairy farmers then suffering from low milk prices. Another $650 million comes by not repeating a one-time infusion into highway programs passed that same year. And just last Friday, Congress approved Obama’s $1 billion request for high-speed rail grants — crediting itself with $1.5 billion in savings relative to last year.
The underlying issue is long overdue legislation to finance the day-to-day budget of every Cabinet department, including the Pentagon, for the already half-completed 2011 fiscal year. The measure caps 2011 funding for such operating budgets at about $1.2 trillion.
About $10 billion of the cuts comes from targeting appropriations accounts previously used by lawmakers for so-called earmarks, those pet projects like highways, water projects, community development grants and new equipment for police and fire departments. Republicans had already engineered a ban on earmarks when taking back the House this year.
Republicans also claimed $5 billion in savings by capping payments from a fund awarding compensation to crime victims. Under an arcane bookkeeping rule — used for years by appropriators — placing a cap on spending from the Justice Department crime victims fund allows lawmakers to claim the entire contents of the fund as budget savings. The savings are awarded year after year.
Even before details of the bill came out, some conservative Republicans were assailing it. Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., said he probably won’t vote for the measure, and tea party favorite Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., is a “nay” as well.
The $38 billion in cuts, Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kan., wrote on his Facebook page, “barely make a dent” in the country’s budget woes.
Huelskamp and other conservatives are also upset that most conservative policy “riders” added by Republicans were dropped from the legislation in the course of the talks.
The White House rejected GOP attempts to block the EPA’s ability to issue global warming rules and other reversals of environmental regulations. Obama also forced Republicans to drop an effort to cut off Planned Parenthood from federal funding, as well as GOP moves to stop implementation of Obama’s overhauls of health care and Wall Street regulation.
The administration also thwarted a GOP attempt to block new rules governing the Internet, as well as a National Rifle Association-backed attempt to neuter a little-noticed initiative aimed at catching people running guns to Mexican drug lords by having regulators gather information on batch purchases of rifles and shotguns.
Anti-abortion lawmakers did, however, succeed in winning a provision to block taxpayer-funded abortions in the District of Columbia. And House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, won funding for a personal initiative to provide federally funded vouchers for District of Columbia students to attend private schools.
Instead of sharply cutting the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodities Futures Trading Commission, both agencies would get increases under the legislation as they gear up to implement last year’s overhaul of financial regulation. And renewable energy programs are cut $407 million below last year, almost 20 percent. The Army Corps of Engineers , which funds flood control and inland waterway projects, will absorb a $578 million cut, representing about 10 percent of its budget.
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Comments (82)
Polish_Sensation
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:45pmI am so frustrated and pissed!!! I sincerely had faith in John Boehner, him being Catholic and all. Unfortunately for us true Conservatives the man is another lying elitist who doesn’t give a you know what about us. After reading about these agreed upon cuts and hearing that the Republicans had scored a massive victory, I was expecting something even modestly large in terms of budget cuts. Well we were lied to. Time to kick Boehner to the curb and more importantly we have to toss this Eric Cantor ( Who is Jewish; A wolf in sheep’s clothing) out as well. Cantor might be the person who is nudging Boehner to act this way, we also know that Eric ” Jew-Boy” Cantor loves Israel more then the USA and would like nothing more then to send American troops into Iran to protect that monstrosity, satanic country called Israel.
Report Post »lynnissmart
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:59pmYou are stupid and hateful….shame on you
Report Post »delhoghe
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 2:38pmPOLISH……….again with the jew hating. How many bad things could be said about the Roman Catholic Church ? Would you like me to post my list of grievences against the R.C.C ? I will if you keep insisting that I do.
Report Post »Waltermelon
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 2:57pmDrink another one you inbred. Hopefully, karma will visit you AGAIN.
Report Post »actuary
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:44pm“We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.” Winston Churchill, June 4, 1940
Report Post »wickerlight
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:41pmHow long will it take people to realize that there’s no changing the State by voting one party over the other. Are so many people ignorant of history? The State has always existed even before the birth of this country. There has never been a true Republic of “we the people”. Our country has always been a feudal-type system where a small group have controlled the actions of the masses for their own benefit. A good read to understand this concept would be “Our Enemy, The State”, by Albert Jay Nock, written in 1935. It is SO important to be diligent in researching and educating ourselves and never taking the words of others at face value. For those that claim to follow Beck, then follow his advice and question everything with boldness. This doesn’t just mean to simply be of a questioning nature, but to SEEK the truth yourself as the Bereans were accustomed to (Acts 17:11).
Report Post »Is there another system wherein man can be free from bondage? Absolutely! His Holy Church. Google it.
neverending
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:37pmRace to the top funds should have been at the top of the list to cut off.
Report Post »BernardNW
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:24pmPresident Obama is following in the footsteps of 1930′s Germany who like President Obama did not shut down the government and instead treated a gashing wound with band aids. Cutting 38 billion from a debt that now has surpassed the 14 tillion US economy is just a drop in an ocean of debt.
After the defeat of Germany in World war 1 and the creation of the League of Nations, the Victorious nations demanded reparations from Germany in Gold leading to the hype inflation that brought down that nation. President Obama should have let the Government shut down for a period of time in order to really address a growing problem that is now out of our control.
Report Post »If he keeps this up we will see history repeat itself when the US economy goes into hyper inflation backed by an never ending printing of the dollar
parlayer
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:19pm1+1 has always equaled 0 in washington.
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:15pmhttp://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/2011/04/boehners-top-16-things-love-about-new-budget-deal
Report Post »TJexcite
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:11pmThese aren’t the droids you are looking for is a old Jedi mind trick that can be used by the Sith lord as well.
Report Post »lynnissmart
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:05pmNothing surprises me here…..His whole being is a discredit to the human race…..he is a truly, truly dishonest person….he is so full of lies, everything he says is a lie, and there is true evil in his soul (as if he has one)!
Report Post »NOBALONEY
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:03pmIts his way or the highway!!! Even though he said the opposite when talking about the compromise that they reached last week. The president has a credibility problem, and that’s going to be his undoing. He’ll have to spend that one billion in canpaign funds to turn all his lies into the truth!
Report Post »OkiePatriot
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:02pmIt doesn’t matter who gets elected, one president isn’t going to get us off this path of destruction. Unless the American people, not just the tea party, wake up and demand real change this great nation is doomed to die under this unsustainable debt we are continuing to compile. We are borrowing money to pay the interest on money previously borrowed…we are in a vicious cycle that is about to end horribly for all of us!
Report Post »fortyfivenorth
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 12:58pmThat’s a real newsflash. The progressive left is composed of outlaws and thieves. The rest of the country is divided into two groups: those who are dumb enough to believe the progressives and those who are smart enough to know better.
Report Post »RED-DAWN
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 12:57pmThis equals the pennies I toss in a jar in my closet. I sure hope I never have to count them all to pay the mortgage. I think that call that foreclosure! Then again, this country is headed to bankruptcy.
And you expected?
Report Post »CatherineAnn
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 12:54pmI hope it doesn’t pass. I wish the Tea Party Republicans would be more outspoken about what really is in the deal. The media’s bias is what will destroy America. Just how did we get here anyway. So many liberal journalists that turn a blind eye to what really is happening. God help us if the Progressives win 4 more years!
Report Post »liriadavila
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 12:53pmAs Glenn said it, we have to stand up by ourselves. Washington is not the solution
Report Post »vennoye
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:07pmNo, Washington, and the people (money) that controls them ARE the problems–and they have been for years. I think the accumulation of the damages they have done, may win. What we can get done may be too little–too late. Whatever, we will be OK. Most of us started out poor…but because everybody was poor, we didn’t realize how poor we were!! We survived…..and we will survive again!! Probably won’t even have to worry about going on a diet! :-)
Report Post »1984 by George Orwell was required reading when I was in high school. I am re-reading it! If you haven’t looked at it in a while, it doesn’t look like science fiction any more!!
sdranger
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 12:53pmSmoke and mirrors. We the People need to start all over again. The early demise of the Tea Party is greatly exagerated.
Report Post »Randyrocker
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 12:49pmHouse Speaker John Boehner, won nothing. The whole exercise was a Chicago Obama gangster styled con and they may have fraudulently played the Republican Party House Speaker John Boehner, but in doing so they also played the American people through their nefarious political parlor tricks.
Report Post »Let’s hope the Republicans get more backbone and stop being so naive, and deal with this sewer rat in the White House for exactly what he is, the world’s greatest slippery tongued lying con man ever to sit in the Oval Office. Maybe the House John Boehner, won‘t be so eager to believe or take Obama’s threats so seriously the next time and allow a shutdown to put the weight of government on Obama’s shoulders as it should be. Both this White House and this country needs to learn a lesson in how the government really manages the economy.
Furthermore, the Republicans it appears haven’t protected the internet from these low life rats in the White House. Why not?
Workforit
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 12:48pmSmart money is betting against this administration and the US dollar… If you want to make a buck, the still semi free market will allow you to profit from this administrations and the feds stupidity. Just watch what the worlds largest are doing financially and follow suit. The political elite will pat themselves on the back right up until they close the coffin lid. Thanks for nothing.
Report Post »hopefulmainer
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 12:44pmis anyone surprised. He used trickery to get into the oval office. It doesn’t change when he walks through the door.
Report Post »HippoNips
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 12:44pmThe left is busy trying to give Obama credit, but they actually helping conservatives.
Report Post »These were actual cuts but conservatives by no means wants their base to think that the war is over.
Deeper cuts are a must and that message needs to get out to all
poster
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 12:44pmThe Republican leadership are the next ones to be voted out of office. Re-elect no one. Vote Tea Party in 2012.
Report Post »exdem
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 12:52pmIf only we could accomplish this!! We need TEA Party media. FOX isn’t enough.
Report Post »rsposato
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 12:44pmObama must go is 2012!!
Report Post »TelepromoterNChief
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 12:42pmObama just laughs at America.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:07pmYes … and he does it from the golf course or on vacation .. even some of the Dems are starting to ask where he is!
Report Post »Marylou7
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 2:19pm@TelepromoterNChief
The whole world is laughing at America. How can we be so stupid as to vote these clowns into office over and over again. Well, thank God a Democrat has at least never gotten my vote and NEVER will, damn communist.
Report Post »Sam Brown
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 12:33pmAll political theatre by the left and the right. Hope I am around when the curtian comes down on this clown act.
Sammy
Report Post »Gold Coin & Economic News
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 12:59pmAnd come down it will…one day.
Report Post »BetterDays
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:09pmI find myself in agreement with you once again Sammy , the whole things a charade.
Report Post »Facts: the FED reserve bank is an unconstitutional Fraud.
The constitution is only paid lip service by either political party
Our freedoms are being taken from us faster than a cat can lick it’s ………
Our nations been invaded by takers and other natural enemies
Our courts uphold laws that steal from free men and won’t uphold law that defends us.
Our children have been stolen from us by false teachers
Our birthright to freedom is under attack
GeorgieJo
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:41pmSaw a bumper sticker yesterday
NEVER TRUST a DEMOCRAT
Well this story proves THAT
Report Post »Hope God helps us OUT of this MESS!!!
Sam Brown
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 3:45pmIn my opinion justice would be for all career politicions to be sentenced to jail till the debt they made is paid off. LOL Ya I know I am dreaming.
Sammy
Report Post »RightPolitically
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 12:33pmAs Limbaugh just said on the radio, Republicans will never get credit for doing the right thing. Why would they then consistently sell-out their principals for a “pat on the back” which they wouldn’t get anyway?
Report Post »exdem
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 12:35pmHis whole Presidency is one big TRICK!!!
Report Post »We are soooo screwed if he is not defeated.
AnAppealToGod
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 12:45pmBecause in their minds they don’t think they will ever get reelected.
Report Post »unsalvageable.org
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 12:45pmAnyone that thinks the Republicans actually fought for cuts are fools. They are no different, it’s business as usual in Washington. We need some serious cuts more along the lines of the Ryan budget. We need to defund most of the entitlements that are out there. We should go back to the times before the Democrats declared the “war on poverty” Since the creation the welfare system it has only created more poverty and dependence on the government. As long as people get it free, why bother working for it?
Report Post »tarpon
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 12:52pmdittos …. Truer words never been spoken.
Report Post »Gold Coin & Economic News
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 12:58pmTricks, dishonesty, obfuscation, from this President, the one who is supposed to have the most transparent administration in the history of this nation, oh come now, I don‘t see how that’s possible.
What happened to the Change We Can Believe In?
Report Post »Ironmaan
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 12:58pmWhere there is money there is power. Anyone who believes either party will willingly make cuts and subsequently detract their power is sadly mistaken. There are maybe 3 people on capital hill that have the country’s interest at heart, the rest are power hungry whores.
Report Post »http://guerillatics.com
GODSAMERICA
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:00pm@unsalvageable.org
Report Post »I agree with you. If the Repulicans really are serious about making actual budget cuts then they need to work on passing legislation to eliminate everything that has department in it’s name and especially pass a national sales tax or fair tax (or something like that) and eliminate the IRS first thing. Also, I believe that since we are the “bosses” that hire these government workers then they should be required to let the people decide how much they get paid, from the very top to the bottom. They pay themselves whatever they want without the “bosses” sayso and this is why the union thugs believe that they can do the same thing and decide themselves what they think they should be paid. They just need to fire about 80% of the government workers and keep their noses out of the free enterprise system and the private companies would then be able to afford hiring them to do real jobs but I’m sure that is one thing that they do not want.
banjarmon
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:00pmGet BHO out of the WH NOW..He is Killing America as we know it!!!
Report Post »wildjoker5
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:00pmObama is so willing to cut money from working people, tax the working people, and give it all to welfare people. WAKE UP, HE IS REDISTRIBUTING THE WEALTH EVERYWHERE. Not just from the rich, but from the military, police, everyone but GE exects.
Report Post »watchtheotherhand
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:01pmLike the war on “Terrorism”….the war on poverty has cost us billions and billions and achieved little to nothing of substance other than it makes us weaker and more indebted. While both terrorists and poverty flourish among us.
Report Post »thegrassroots
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:04pmBoehner‘s Deal hasn’t been voted on yet! Contact your representatives and tell them to Reject Boehner’s Deal! And, while they’re rejecting – how does America trade in a Weak-Speaker-Who-Caves for a Speaker Who Has The “Don’t Tread On Me” Guts Of Our Founders?
America Needs a Speaker of Integrity, a Speaker who Knows that Ya Don’t Sacrifice Moral Values On The Altar Of Going Along For The Sake Of Getting Along = No Compromise! America Needs No Compromise People Of Integrity In WA-DC!
In that final hour meeting, when Boehner brought up defunding Planned Parenthood and obama said “no,” Boehner should have turned and walked out without saying another word. Boehner should have called obama’s bluff – left obama on the ropes – forced obama to either cave or shut’er down.
So – Tell Your Representatives To Vote NO! And Take This Thing Back To The No Compromise Drawing Board.
Jeremiah 12:5
Report Post »GayDem4Beck
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:05pmThey lie !!!!! And we are watching and tracking there every move
Report Post »CatB
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:06pmI agree RIGHTPOL and NOW they know EXACTLY what to go after in the upcoming budget fight … the PORK Obama “saved” . R’s time to do what is RIGHT not popular with the left … but what MUST be done! CUT CUT CUT!
Report Post »hauschild
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:06pmI told you all the Republicans caved in a major way. It‘s almost as if the big dogs in our party aren’t really in “our” party.
Candy asses – at very turn.
God, I long for the days of Ronald Reagan when the ball was always called and the chips fell where they ought.
If you people continue to out-smart yourselves, this is going to continue until into perpetuity. Wake up and understand how this nightmare can end.
Report Post »UP, CHUCK!
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:11pmGod help us. We need a clean TEA sweep in 2012 or we’re doomed.
Report Post »reckless
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:17pmTricks, deciet, inventive accounting procedures…..
All par for the course when it comes to Liberals. The truth is their true enemy…
Report Post »DirectlyUnPCman
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 1:54pmWhat am embarrassment.
Report Post »lovenfl3
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 2:24pmEverything with Obama is a big game. Check out the budget game video that tells the whole story.
Report Post »http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG-QQ9eQKZE
SANE_I think
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 8:59pmYou guys might like this one. Just followed a link in the must read area. The Progressives have unvieled thier budget plan. %90 Social sercurity tax on every dime earned above 106K..%90! Raise employer contributions across the board. And last but not least Defund the Armed forces to the tune of %50….They want them to protect this nation from its enemies on %50 of what they get now. So, you are not allowed to make more than $100,000 per year, if you have a business they will strip its wealth and basically a small domestic Army. GOD, they love this country….what patriots! HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? WERE WE TRULY SLEEPING while these commies and socialists were hard at work taking our country from us?
Report Post »Secret Squirrel
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 11:00pm……….
If the republican leadership can’t cut, let’s get someone who can.
$38 billion is 4 days of interest on the debt.
Remember, Boehner is up for re-election too.
I have no allegiance to him.
Bachmann would be much better.
I really believe that Washington feels that if the government would shut down, we would all fall to the ground like marionettes when the string is cut.
Report Post »I contend, if the government shuts down, I probably won’t notice, would someone let me know?.