Orszag: Hill Budget Resolutions Aren’t “Twins” of the President’s Plan, But “Brothers”
EmailABC News’ Sunlen Miller reports: Just four hours before the president makes an appearance on Capitol Hill to speak with Senate Democrats about his budget, OMB Director Peter Orszag held a remarkably conciliatory conference call, painting the divide on the budget as miniscule. At a time when the administration is facing criticism from both Democrats and Republicans over his massive $3.6 trillion budget blueprint, Orszag told reporters that the administration believes the budget mark-ups in the House and Senate are 98% in line with the president’s blue print. “I think it’s very clear that if you look at the budget resolutions that are being adopted by both he House and Senate they are some the same family as the president’s budget – the resolutions may not be identical twins to what the president submitted but they are certainly brothers that look an awful lot alike.” Orszag said that they are “very pleased” that their resolutions are “fully in line” with the four key principles that the President’s proposal sent to Congress in February: Cutting the deficit in half, health care, energy and education. Orszag said the mark-ups in the House and Senate meets the President’s standards on each priority. While claiming that 98% of the budget mark ups are similar to the president’s blueprint, Orszag conceded that there were some adjustments made on the Hill, but he took pains to impress that the administration believes these changes are minor. CHANGES IN DISCRETIONARY SPENDING Orszag said that the differences in discretionary spending are relatively modest. “Out of the 18 functional categories of the budget 13 are exactly the same in the Senate, 12 are exactly the same in the House. And even when you incorporate the differences, if you look at overall discretionary spending, the difference – relative to the House compared to the president’s budget proposal – is 0.6% and in the senate is 1.2 %” CHANGES IN MAKING-WORK-PAY & CAP-AND TRADE Orszag said the administration’s tying the revenue from making-work-pay to cap-and-trade of course was changed in the House and Senate resolutions. He went slightly further than the President’s response on this at his prime-time press conference last night, saying that since the tax cuts are in the stimulus package (and thus locked in for two years) the administration will use that time to “figure this out.” He said part of figuring it out would be tasking Paul Volker with the president’s Recovery Advisory Board (PRAB) to take up this issue – among many others – in examining “ways of being more aggressive at reducing the tax gap which could provide funding for tax provisions including an extension of the making work pay tax credit.” The board will report back to the Obama by December 4th. On changes in cap-and-trade, Orszag said that the political climate is ripe for the administration’s proposal to be taken up outside of the budget. “There is already legislation that is being considered on the House side, the senate is also active. The fact that it is not treated in the budget resolution the same way that we proposed in no way means that the House and Senate cant take the legislation up. And I think some may argue that the political economy of getting climate change done this year may actually be better outside of the budget resolution that inside of it.” WHAT ABOUT RECONCILIATION? Orszag was asked about the controversial procedure of budget reconciliation in which Democrats would be able to pass overhauls (like health care) without the threat of a Republican-led filibuster. “Reconciliation is not where we’d like to start but we are not willing to take it off the table,” Orszag said. “There clearly are some differences in the senate and the house on this topic and that will be worked out assuming that both resolutions are adopted by the respective bodies that would be something that would be worked out in conference.” The president heads to the Hill today to meet with the Senate Democratic Caucus this afternoon. – Sunlen Miller
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saying that since the tax cuts are in the stimulus package (and thus locked in for two years) the administration will use that time to “figure this out
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Why didn’t Obama just say that to Jake last night on Prime Time television, then?
Posted by: MayBee | March 25, 2009, 12:20 pm 12:20 pm
MayBee:”Why didn’t Obama just say that to Jake last night on Prime Time television, then?”
Why would Obama possibly surrender before the debate has even begun? He wants to be upfront about the costs of his projects and how they’ll be paid for, not play hide-the-cost games that pass the decisions along to “later.”
Posted by: jhw539 | March 25, 2009, 12:48 pm 12:48 pm
“Why didn’t Obama just say that to Jake last night on Prime Time television, then?”
TOTUS probably didn’t hear Jake’s question….they moved him to the back of the room.
Posted by: hvs | March 25, 2009, 12:49 pm 12:49 pm
jhw- so Orzag can say it in a conference call, but Obama saying it on tv is “surrendering”?
Posted by: MayBee | March 25, 2009, 12:54 pm 12:54 pm
MayBee: “Orzag can say it in a conference call, but Obama saying it on tv is “surrendering”? ”
Yes, obviously – Orzag doesn’t make the final call. A statement from him is different than one from the boss.
Posted by: jhw539 | March 25, 2009, 12:56 pm 12:56 pm
alternative explanation:
Orzag saying it in a conference call isn’t as easily noticed as Obama saying it to a national tv audience.
Posted by: MayBee | March 25, 2009, 1:00 pm 1:00 pm
Tell us more about Geitner’s openness to China’s suggestion of moving towards a Special Drawing Right (SDR) linked currency system. This is absolutely screwed up! Stop this insanity now!!!!
Posted by: Jenny | March 25, 2009, 1:20 pm 1:20 pm
Someone is wearing a big pair of rose-tinted glasses…
Posted by: matt | March 25, 2009, 1:45 pm 1:45 pm
I’m not sure if the one-world currency thing was a slip up or not. Maybe Geithner just finished reading something about Soros.
Posted by: a free man | March 25, 2009, 1:48 pm 1:48 pm
Miniscule? Right!
Then, why is the Lobbyist In Chief (LIC) riding on his Utopian Force One (UFO) to lobby the public opinion polls???
“Obama uses political network to lobby Congress”
Posted by: two cats | March 25, 2009, 1:56 pm 1:56 pm
I Will take the Democrat Agenda Any day over Republicans! We had a Republican Agenda for 8 Years look at where were At. Go Dems fix that Republican Mess!
Posted by: Angie In PA | March 25, 2009, 2:03 pm 2:03 pm
Brothers?
NOT!!
Sell-out?
You betcha!!
Last nights Q & A was canned and everyone watching knew it. Obama even put Helen Thomas in a trance. I thought she was gonna do a nose plant to the floor while Obama was skirting around Jakes’ question. He never answered it, btw!! What a bunch of Prime Time Hooey.
Never again will I waste my time watching the “FACE” that sinks America!!
Posted by: American Infidel | March 25, 2009, 2:22 pm 2:22 pm
“the resolutions may not be identical twins to what the president submitted but they are certainly brothers that look an awful lot alike.”
I’d be willing to bet that even if the budget bill that comes out of Congress looks more like a red-headed step-brother than a fraternal twin that looks “an awful lot alike”, Mr. Orszag will be quoted saying something like this:
“Look at how very, very, very, very similar they really are.
Really.
They look almost exactly alike.
The resemblance is uncanny.
When I saw what Congress passed, I said to myself, ‘Am I looking at the President’s budget proposal or am I looking at Congress’ budget’?
They are really so very, very, very, very similar.
I’m at a loss for words because of their similarity.
Seriously.
No… wait… I am serious.
Seriously serious.”
Posted by: I'm With Stupid | March 25, 2009, 2:38 pm 2:38 pm
KAT
George W Bush wishes He Had an Ounce of President Obamas Intelligence Bush was A drunken Idiot Now yes Bush did Spend like an Idiot the Difference in spending
PRESIDENT OBAMA-Spending HERE IN AMERICA On Things Neglected By Bush!
PRESIDENT BUSH-Spending IRAQ, IRAQ, IRAQ, IRAQ, Meanwhile Healthcare is Out of Control, Education sucks, Bridges Are Falling Down,And we have not even came Close to our Energry Problem THAT IS THE DIFFERENCES!
Posted by: Angie In PA | March 25, 2009, 2:42 pm 2:42 pm
Is ABC going to mention Turbo Tim’s incredible mistake this morning when he seemed to want to dispense with the dollar as the leading world currency? What was the result? The dollar tanked.
Then the moederator practically spoon fed our boy Timmy the answer and the dollar moved up a bit.
Can we admit this guy is a disaster?
Posted by: beth | March 25, 2009, 3:01 pm 3:01 pm
Is ABC going to mention Turbo Tim’s incredible mistake this morning when he seemed to want to dispense with the dollar as the leading world currency? What was the result? The dollar tanked.
Then the moederator practically spoon fed our boy Timmy the answer and the dollar moved up a bit.
Can we admit this guy is a disaster?
Posted by: beth | March 25, 2009, 3:01 pm 3:01 pm
Is ABC going to mention Turbo Tim’s incredible mistake this morning when he seemed to want to dispense with the dollar as the leading world currency? What was the result? The dollar tanked.
=======================================
Hopefully it was an error on Geithner’s part. More troubling would be if he spoke the truth, but we aren’t supposed to know yet.
Posted by: mad | March 25, 2009, 3:10 pm 3:10 pm
It’s been so long people seem to have forgotten how compromise works. Both sides, Congress and the President, will have to give up something.
Meanwhile, the Republicans will give up nothing and, with their ‘with us or against us’ stand on principles, get nothing. Useless to their country, but it plays well to their shrinking base I suppose.
Posted by: jhw539 | March 25, 2009, 3:16 pm 3:16 pm
Brothers – it’s all very cozy at the top.
Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | March 25, 2009, 3:19 pm 3:19 pm
“But Geithner wasn’t the only top Obama adviser who refused to rule out a transition to a global currency. White House economic adviser Austan Goolsbee said much the same thing yesterday afternoon in an interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer. Although he characterized such a change as “unlikely,” Goolsbee twice declined to rule out such a global currency despite being pressed by Blitzer. “I haven’t seen the details of the proposal,” Goolsbee said.”
=======================================
Either the president and his advisors aren’t on the same page or we are being misled.
Posted by: mad | March 25, 2009, 3:19 pm 3:19 pm
jhw:Meanwhile, the Republicans will give up nothing and, with their ‘with us or against us’ stand on principles, get nothing.
===============
They will get nothing because they have no power to make the Democrats listen to them.
They will have no opportunity to “give up” anything. Or I should say, they are having to give up pretty much everything.
Posted by: MayBee | March 25, 2009, 3:36 pm 3:36 pm
mad:”Either the president and his advisors aren’t on the same page or we are being misled.”
You can only cry wolf so many times before people just start to ignore you.
“BLITZER: The Chinese suggesting today, this dollar, U.S. dollar, should be replaced as international currency…
What’s your reaction?
GOOLSBEE: It strikes me as probably unlikely…
…the dollar is the dollar. If people don’t want to buy it, they don’t buy it. But I think you have seen sort of a flight to the dollar in — in times of trouble.”
It is perfectly legitimate to be concerned about the deficits and the risks associated during a massive realignment of the national health care structure. Willfully misinterpreting technical economic discussions isn’t necessary if you really want to keep up your state of constant fear.
Posted by: jhw539 | March 25, 2009, 3:40 pm 3:40 pm
Will take the Democrat Agenda Any day over Republicans! We had a Republican Agenda for 8 Years look at where were At. Go Dems fix that Republican Mess!
Posted by: Angie In PA | Mar 25, 2009 2:03:02 PM
=====================================
You won’t think so when you have to wait six weeks to see the doctor with a stomach ache. “where we were At.” the old saying is “between the A & T.” Still using capitals I see. Democrats=LCS.
Posted by: Mildred | March 25, 2009, 3:45 pm 3:45 pm
MayBee:”They will get nothing because they have no power to make the Democrats listen to them.”
In the last two years they have launched more filibusters than the Senate has ever seen – over 4 times as many as during the entire 19th century (which include the lead up to the civil war).
The Republican senators who compromised on the stimulus plan had a massive impact – for example, replacing almost 10% of the bill’s aid to states with a $70 billion AMT patch (which benefits the upper middle class and is a perennial favorite of Republicans). Republicans have power, if they chose to wield it responsibly rather than petulantly play to their gerrymandered base to ensure their personal jobs are (relatively – the Bush Senators have reason to fear 2010) safe.
Posted by: jhw539 | March 25, 2009, 3:47 pm 3:47 pm
Mildred:”You won’t think so when you have to wait six weeks to see the doctor with a stomach ache.”
Oddly, that has never happened to any of my 4 aunts, 5 cousins, 4 uncles, granny, or granddad who live (and in a couple cases, have now passed away) under a rather strained version of universal healthcare. My Canadian friends rave about their healthcare, and would no more give it up than I’d give up our freedom of the press. What are you basing your horror-story projections on? They just don’t jibe with the reality of universal healthcare I hear about, anymore than the ‘died on the floor of NY hospital waiting room’ jibes with the reality of the US’s horribly inefficient and wasteful universal healthcare approach (ie, get sick enough that you may die and then clog the emergency rooms).
Posted by: jhw539 | March 25, 2009, 3:50 pm 3:50 pm
jhw: Willfully misinterpreting technical economic discussions…
=======================================
You’ve pointed out my extreme ignorance in the past, now you accuse me of “willfully misinterpreting.”
Couldn’t I just as easily be ignorant this time?
Posted by: mad | March 25, 2009, 3:51 pm 3:51 pm
jhw- you cannot filibuster a budget resolution
Posted by: MayBee | March 25, 2009, 3:56 pm 3:56 pm
mad:”jhw: Willfully misinterpreting technical economic discussions…
=======================================
You’ve pointed out my extreme ignorance in the past, now you accuse me of “willfully misinterpreting.”
Couldn’t I just as easily be ignorant this time?”
Possibly, I don’t really care. Do you have any factual or rational response or counter citation to the content of my comment?
Posted by: jhw539 | March 25, 2009, 3:58 pm 3:58 pm
MayBee:”you cannot filibuster a budget resolution”
Only if the reconciliation process is used, and there are enough Blue Dog Democrats (essentially conservatives who have been driven out by the Republican Fundamentalists) standing against spending that Republicans WILLING TO COMPROMISE could put together an adequate block to influence even that.
At some point people are going to notice their cries of “we’re powerless!” are actually whines of “we don’t want to help the country!”
Posted by: jhw539 | March 25, 2009, 4:00 pm 4:00 pm
jhw: Do you have any factual or rational response or counter citation to the content of my comment?
=======================================
“Unlikely” by Austan Goolsbee is not a denial.
Posted by: mad | March 25, 2009, 4:06 pm 4:06 pm
jhw539: Am glad your relatives are/were happy with the health care in Canada. We have been in South Texas visiting and there are many, many Canadians spending winters there. They tell us you are LUCKY to get a doctor that will take them as a patient. Do we really want to give up the freedom of calling a doctor to make an appointment and not having to wait, for weeks and sometimes months to see a doctor? Yes, it is unfortunate what happened in the waiting room, but you must remember the emergency rooms are overwelmed with patients with colds and other minor illnesses and injuries…no one considers an emergency room for emergencies any longer they fill it with illegal aliens getting free medical at our expense. Just spent 5 hours waiting to see a doctor in an emergency room and it was not a pretty sight!!!! There has to be a better solution.
Posted by: Mildred | March 25, 2009, 4:10 pm 4:10 pm
Mildred:” Do we really want to give up the freedom of calling a doctor to make an appointment and not having to wait, for weeks and sometimes months to see a doctor?”
None of them have lost that freedom, they get into see a doctor or nurse practitioner within days (as quickly or faster than I can, short of an emergency room). It is the wait for non-critical care specialists that is much longer. If you have a bum knee but can still walk, you are likely to be hobbling around on a cane for months rather than days in the US (IF you have the $$$).
(I was unclear in my original post – my relatives are in the UK, and I have several friends in Canada. Doesn’t change the gist of my point though.)
Posted by: jhw539 | March 25, 2009, 4:15 pm 4:15 pm
Mildred:”.no one considers an emergency room for emergencies any longer they fill it with illegal aliens getting free medical at our expense. Just spent 5 hours waiting to see a doctor in an emergency room and it was not a pretty sight!!!! There has to be a better solution. ”
We are pretty much in agreement on this (although the stats show it’s not the illegal aliens primarily to blame outside of the border states). The emergency room has become the US’s national healthcare provider of last resort. This is stupidly expensive – 3 days in the ICU available for ‘free’ when you’re sick enough, but $20 of pencillian to prevent you getting that sick is not available ‘free.’
It should be a bipartisan issue.
Posted by: jhw539 | March 25, 2009, 4:17 pm 4:17 pm
jhw:WILLING TO COMPROMISE could put together an adequate block to influence even that
=======
You seem to be saying the Republicans won’t *try* to influence the budget. I’m certain they will try.
Posted by: MayBee | March 25, 2009, 4:18 pm 4:18 pm
“Am glad your relatives are/were happy with the health care in Canada. We have been in South Texas visiting and there are many, many Canadians spending winters there. They tell us you are LUCKY to get a doctor that will take them as a patient.”
So we have an anecdote-off!
Also a reminder that the Canadian Health Care system for all its flaws beats the daylights out ours.
And for half the cost.
Posted by: Ryan C | March 25, 2009, 4:20 pm 4:20 pm
jhw:Only if the reconciliation process is used
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THIS is a non-binding budget resolution. It can’t be filibustered.
The budget reconciliation process may come into play later, when other measures are considered.
Posted by: MayBee | March 25, 2009, 4:25 pm 4:25 pm
None of them have lost that freedom, they get into see a doctor or nurse practitioner within days (as quickly or faster than I can, short of an emergency room). It is the wait for non-critical care specialists that is much longer. If you have a bum knee but can still walk, you are likely to be hobbling around on a cane for months rather than days in the US (IF you have the $$$).
Posted by: jhw539 | Mar 25, 2009 4:15:23 PM
====================================
Your relatives in the UK are lucky. These people we talked to from Canada
(it wasn’t just a couple it was more like a dozen). One fella has prostrate cancer, it was going to be 6 months before he could get treatment. Luckly, he was able to pay and went to Mayo for treatment. Don’t quite get what you are talking about re: knee, but I was able to get mine done in a week after diagnosis. They say you are lucky to get a doctor to see you and are put on a waiting list to become a patient.
I just don’t want to give up the freedom of seeing the doctor that we want.
Posted by: Mildred | March 25, 2009, 4:37 pm 4:37 pm
“PRESIDENT OBAMA-Spending HERE IN AMERICA On Things Neglected By Bush!”
right, the dog walking parks, the frisbee golf courses, the maglev trains from vegas to la- these are the things America has been wailing in the night for.
Healthcare will become more efficient and reformed when the government takes it over- riiiiiiiiiiight. Been to the DMV lately?
Education- interestingly, the NEA is a firmly and staunchly democratic organization. What was that about education being awful?
As for energy- “should be” is not an energy policy. Drill. Now. Nukes. now. Anything else is scam, con, or stupidity.
Posted by: 2Brixshy | March 25, 2009, 4:58 pm 4:58 pm
“As for energy- “should be” is not an energy policy. Drill. Now. Nukes. now. Anything else is scam, con, or stupidity.”
Can we bury the nuclear waste in your backyard?
Posted by: Ryan C | March 25, 2009, 5:47 pm 5:47 pm
“NO MIDDLE CLASS TAX CUTS?”…..They
are saying this now? You independent
boobs that joined the trough-feeders
to elect this guy deserve your place
in one of Dante’s circles. You helped
him to his misbegotten throne. Now
bow down to your lord and master.
Posted by: Trajan | March 25, 2009, 11:17 pm 11:17 pm
Calling all Boll Weeivls! Now is the time to call for the help of the Blue Dogs! Without the help of these moderate Democrats, the biggest socialist budget ever submitted becomes law and payment lands directly on the shoulders of all Anerican taxpayers. Please help us defeat this wasteful tax and spend initiave!
Posted by: No Common Sense in DC | March 26, 2009, 11:27 am 11:27 am
Can we admit this guy is a disaster?
Posted by: beth *********************I think that even the president would admit that “Timmy” is a disaster if ANY replacement were available. There are still 17 (17 of 18 possible) vacancies in the Treasury Dept. Nobody with any credability wants any part of this fiasco!
Posted by: No Common Sense in DC | March 26, 2009, 11:41 am 11:41 am
Since January 20, I feel like I am in that movie “Ground Hog Day”. Every day we keep repeating the same irresponsible behavior and waiting for the results to change!
Posted by: No Common Sense in DC | March 26, 2009, 11:44 am 11:44 am
Mildred: According to President Obama’s health plan, if you are happy with your coverage you can keep it. No one will be forced to change what they are happy with but those who cannot get coverage or get coverage at an unbelievable cost, will be helped, especially those with pre-existing conditions.
Posted by: talmag | March 29, 2009, 12:17 pm 12:17 pm