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Editor, Index-Tribune:
As president, Barack Obama increased government discretionary spending by 84 percent. For starters, the number of federal employees rose by 12 percent. The number of government limos increased by a whopping 73 percent. Obama's White House employees cost taxpayers $37 million. That's $4 million more than during Bush's tenure.
One of three White House employees makes more than $100,000 a year. Personnel in the Office of Public Engagement are high-paid spinmeisters who push Obama's progressive agenda and do damage control. Recently they organized Obama's Twitter Town Hall. Valerie Jarrett, head of OPE, pulls down a cushy $172,000 a year.
Obama's stimulus spent $666 billion to add/save 2.4 million jobs. That figures out to $278,000 per job. If they handed each recipient $100,000, taxpayers would be $427 billion ahead. If you really want to cry, consider this: $24 billion of the stimulus money went to 3700 recipients who were IRS deadbeats.
China, our largest debtor, scolds that our spending is out of control. No kidding! Well, the chickens have come home to roost. We're running out of money. Obama threatens if the debt ceiling isn't raised, seniors won't get their social security checks.
Negotiations are ongoing. John Boehner, the Republicans' point man, isn't buying Obama's vague promises to cut spending. Recall Nancy Pelosi's, "We have to pass (Obamacare) to see what's in it!"
Obama makes clear that his health plan, high-speed rail and other programs, are off-limits. But he gives no specifics on where he would cut.
Apparently, Obama wants a blank check without giving anything. What doesn't he understand about the notion of compromise?
June England
Sonoma
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June, your point on the Obama stimulus was disingenuous and incorrect.
You said: “Obama's stimulus spent $666 billion to add/save 2.4 million jobs. That figures out to $278,000 per job. If they handed each recipient $100,000, taxpayers would be $427 billion ahead.”
The $787 billion Obama stimulus package consisted of $288 billion in tax cuts to the middle class, $224 billion in extended unemployment benefits, education and health care, and $275 billion for job creation using federal contracts, grants and loans.
At the same time, you conveniently forgot to mention the factors that got us into our deficit economic situation in the first place:
Bush’s bank giveaway (TARP) with no strings attached of almost a trillion dollars.
Bush’s fiasco of a war in Iraq, and his mismanaged war in Afghanistan that cost us so far almost 4 trillion dollars, all on borrowed money, not to mention the thousands of Americans killed, and tens of thousands wounded.
Bush’s tax cuts mainly benefiting the rich and during a time of war, that has cost us to date 4 trillion dollars.
Also, don’t forget to mention the 4-6 million jobs outsourced under Bush, caused primarily by Republican policies.