AOL News has a new home! The Huffington Post.
Click here to visit the new home of Politics Daily!Hot on HuffPost:
See More Stories
Obama Announces Birth Control Compromise
Hoesktra Pulls Controversial Super Bowl Ad
Obama Budget Chief Wants Agencies to Cut Spending 5 Percent
But there are caveats and exceptions. Budget Director Peter Orszag said in a speech Tuesday to the Center for American Progress that the proposed cuts would not begin until 2012 and would apply only to non-defense and non-security-related agencies. In other words, the Pentagon and Department of Homeland Security would be immune -- so too would be entitlements such as Social Security.
In addition, it appears the 5 percent pinch is not mandatory on the bureaucracy. "We are asking each agency to develop a list of their bottom 5 percent performing discretionary programs, as measured by their impact in furthering the agency's mission," Orszag said.
Many Republicans in Congress prefer immediate reductions in spending.
But Orszag told the liberal-leaning center, "Our goal is not to cut for cutting's sake, but to modernize and reform government, to empower people with the information they require to make choices about what's best for them, to make their voices heard by government officials, and to give the American people the data they need to bring about change."
Our New Approach to Comments
Add a Comment
5% cut no excecptions. We all know how inefficient the government is. We all are making sacrifices. Why can't the government cut the entire budget by 5%.
June 17 2010 at 3:30 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replyhow many votes do the dem's lose with each % cut ?
June 09 2010 at 11:34 AM Report abuse Permalink +3 rate up rate down Replyobama raises spending 20% & now asks for a 5% cut
What a joke....spending goes up over 10% and spending comes down 5%...... reminds me of when my wife bought a $500 dress and told me she got such a deal because it was on sale !
June 08 2010 at 9:31 PM Report abuse Permalink +10 rate up rate down ReplyWhy don't we quit paying to clean up BP's mess in the gulf. Didn't Jindal say last year Washington should but out of the states because the individual could handle everything better than the fed. And with Loisiana collecting over a billion dollars from big oil every year in taxes and fees they should bear the brunt of the expense and handle it and deal with BP. Even now they want the moritorium dropped so they can make more money and we'll be payin to clean up another mess.
June 08 2010 at 9:01 PM Report abuse Permalink -8 rate up rate down ReplySay there Big Daddy. Do you suppose, for just a moment, that since the Federal Government is leasing oil in international waters for tens of billions of dollars for which they do nothing, that the Feds should shoulder some of the responsibility? In fact, the Feds lease the site to BP, collect big-time royalties and permit fees, and are responsible for inspections of the site and operation.
June 08 2010 at 9:54 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyFoxnewstoldmeso..."Why don't you go tell your unemployed friends you want them to wait awhile for their benefits and see if they still agree with you."
There is an old saying that holds as true today as it did 50 years ago; "Your best chance of finding a job is in the week after your unemployment compensation runs out."
any experienced for profit manager could cut 10% from every federal budget with his/her eyes closed.
June 08 2010 at 8:05 PM Report abuse Permalink +11 rate up rate down ReplyUntil the military is included is included the entire discussion is pointless.
June 08 2010 at 7:54 PM Report abuse Permalink -7 rate up rate down Replypro...i guess you missed the part in the story where the cuts for the pentagon will only be saved for future wars. Nothing to help with the current deficit.
June 08 2010 at 8:38 PM Report abuse Permalink -3 rate up rate down ReplyHey, I have an idea. How about we all go onto a republican website and vote on tiny little budget cuts for them to bring up in congress. You laugh at a 5% cut, but apparently this website is all you need to make you think you're changing the world and being listened to. And you thought the 5% cut looked stupid.
June 08 2010 at 7:41 PM Report abuse Permalink -3 rate up rate down ReplyPlease refer to the gimmick you are talking about. So far I know I've only helped you understand things you're complaining about. You don't understand some very clear issues. You guys just seem to love to operate on hate. You talk how I rush to defend this, but I say you rush to hate it. You love to hate it. You love to ridicule the president and the administration. You love to take fact from opinions from your political commentators. You let fear and hate rule your lives and you spread it like an infection.
June 08 2010 at 10:18 PM Report abuse Permalink -3 rate up rate down ReplyI'm sorry this is so ridiculous. They pass a unbelieveably large budget and now their budget director wants every agency to cut back by 5%. Don't they realize how stupid this looks?
June 08 2010 at 7:05 PM Report abuse Permalink +10 rate up rate down ReplySorry Gary, but I'm a little confused to what would actually please you. You complain about their spending. Now you're complaining about them cutting the budget? Ridiculous!
June 08 2010 at 7:21 PM Report abuse Permalink -6 rate up rate down ReplyWell Foxnewstoldyouso, let me makes this very clear for you....I want them to reverse all of the spending they made so they don't have to cut back by 5%.
June 08 2010 at 9:48 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply
Follow Politics Daily
Sarah Palin's Popularity Slips to 60 Percent Disapproval Rate in Poll
Wisconsin Governor Signs Bargaining Bill, but Wider Political War Looming
Wisconsin Fight: Bill Limiting Unions Passes in Messy Process
Biden in Russia: Pegs More U.S. Trade to Corruption Cleanup
Latest From Gingrich: Presidential Announcement Likely in May
POPULAR
- Nancy Pelosi Confirms House May Skip Up or Down Vote on Senate Health Bill
- The Five Most Racist Obama Cartoons?
- Huck Finn, Censorship and the N-Word Controversy
- Soraya M., Stoned to Death for Being an "Inconvenient Wife''
- Kathryn Rogers: 6 Things to Know About Rush Limbaugh's Bride-To-Be
- World's Best City for Men? New York City No. 1 in Survey
- California Same-Sex Marriage Trial: An Uneven Matchup
News From Our Partners
- The case for a global currency
- Female soldiers fight the brass ceiling
- Catholic tribalism and the contraceptive flap
- The two Americas clash at CPAC
- A birth-control compromise could divide the right
- More Stories »
- Romney Edges Ron Paul in Maine Caucus
- Romney Beats Santorum in Conservative Straw Poll
- Obama's Budget Sets Up Fight With GOP
- Bishops: Birth Control Change Not Good Enough
- Ron Paul: I've Got 'Good Chance' in Maine
- More Stories »
- Former Bachmann spokeswoman joins Santorum team
- Sen. McCain to Negotiate Release of U.S. Aid Workers in Egypt
- Paul: Skipped CPAC to Try and Win in Maine
- The Phantom Menace: A Deal On the Payroll Tax Break
- McDonnell Sees "Great Path" for Romney
- More Stories »
- 10 things you need to know today: February 11, 2012
- Will money trouble sink Newt Gingrich's campaign?
- Good day, bad day: February 10, 2012
- Obama's birth control compromise: 'Still unacceptable'?
- Should glitter bombers get jail time?
- More Stories »
Top News
More News
More on Aol
Local News
More Blog/Sites
Sites and Services
HuffPost Politics
54 Comments