Republicans Respond to President Obama’s FY13 Budget Proposal

Congressman Steve King (R-IA) responded to President Obama’s release of his FY13 budget proposal:

The President’s plan increases taxes by $1.9 trillion (including a $143 billion “death tax” hike which will hurt family farms across Iowa), hides $1.5 trillion worth of spending in accounting gimmicks, and still adds $11 trillion to the debt. By the end of the President’s budget window, $1 trillion of American taxpayer dollars will go simply to servicing our debt.  In 2009, the President promised to do his fair share by cutting the annual federal deficit in half ($650 billion) by the end of his first term. Under this budget, the President breaks this promise and will end his second term in office with a $1.3 trillion annual deficit – despite his plans to increases taxes by $1.9 trillion and his efforts to hide $1.5 trillion worth of spending in accounting gimmicks.

The President continues to campaign on ‘fairness,’ but hiking up the debt with no end in sight is an injustice to the American people. This budget is simply more proof that President Obama is unwilling to do, by his own definition, his “fair share” to make the tough choices to get our budget to balance.

Congressman Tom Latham (R-IA) also responded:

I am deeply concerned that this proposed budget does not steer this nation away from the debt, doubt and decline that is frustrating hardworking Americans. The trillions of dollars in new taxes and spending will add to the mountain of debt that’s already crushing job growth and smothering the promise of the American Dream for our children and grandchildren.  It lacks any bold action to force Washington to finally live within its means and fails to address the main drivers of our skyrocketing deficits.

With this budget the White House would close the Iowa National Guard’s 132nd F-16 Fighter Wing, eliminating hundreds of jobs in central Iowa and with it a huge economic hit.  It is clear that the decision to close the fighter wing was not based on a proper cost-benefit analysis or true defense readiness review.  There are reasonable ways to cut waste in the defense budget, but this “lead from behind” defense strategy would hollow out critical capabilities in the force and weaken our national security in exchange for more failed domestic programs and irresponsible spending.  I cannot support a plan that recklessly cuts jobs out of the heart of Iowa during one of the most painful economic downturns in memory.

Presidential candidate Rick Santorum also released the following statement:

The American people have spoken loudly for the past three years, demanding fiscal responsibility from our leaders and President Obama is either deaf or simply won’t listen. Today’s proposal of nearly $4 trillion in spending over the next year is preposterous, not only in overall funding but in priorities. If we do not get our spending under control, we will have turmoil in the streets – and that’s not a guess – all you have to do is look to Europe. America needs to lead, and America needs a leader prepared to make those tough choices. I am committed to balancing our budget and cutting $5 trillion in spending in five years. These are the measures necessary to not just put our nation’s fiscal house in order, but to spur on economic growth and confidence in our free-market system.

Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) the Republican Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee said the following:

The American people have spoken loudly for the past three years, demanding fiscal responsibility from our leaders and President Obama is either deaf or simply won’t listen. Today’s proposal of nearly $4 trillion in spending over the next year is preposterous, not only in overall funding but in priorities. If we do not get our spending under control, we will have turmoil in the streets – and that’s not a guess – all you have to do is look to Europe. America needs to lead, and America needs a leader prepared to make those tough choices. I am committed to balancing our budget and cutting $5 trillion in spending in five years. These are the measures necessary to not just put our nation’s fiscal house in order, but to spur on economic growth and confidence in our free-market system.

You can see the budget for yourself:

Related articles

• Network Morning Shows Give Scant 47 Seconds to Obama Budget (newsbusters.org)
• Transcript of President Obama’s remarks on his proposed budget (desmoinesregister.com)
• Sen. Sessions Calls Obama’s Budget ‘One of the Most Spectacular Fiscal Cover-Ups In American History’ (biggovernment.com)
• Obama’s Deceptive, DOA Budget (powerlineblog.com)
• Obama’s “New Foundation” Budget (realclearpolitics.com)
• MSM: Yeah, Obama’s Budget Is Pretty Reckless (townhall.com)

Tags: Barack Obama, Jeff Sessions, Obama FY13 Budget, Rick Santorum, Senate Budget Committee, Steve King, Tom Latham

Category: Fiscal Issues/Spending, Obama Administration