The Patriot Post® · Obama Releases Last Spending Wish List

Barack Obama released his proposed budget today, a budget that is part list of the lame-duck’s last policy proposals and part capstone to his failed fiscal legacy. The proposed budget called for more money for Pell Grants, more money to fight the Islamic State, more money for green transportation, and more money to boost cyber security across the government. More money; you get the picture. Through the budget, Obama also wants to nudge Congress to take up immigration reform and programs to cure cancer. In this budget, Obama avoided cuts to his pet projects, such as ObamaCare subsidies, Medicare and Medicaid. Instead, he proposes the government can pay for his wish list of spending through tax hikes, like the infamous tax on oil sales. Funny, because in 2008, the fresh-faced Obama pledged to reform big-spending programs like Social Security and Medicaid.

Director for the Office of Management and Budget Shaun Donovan told Politico, “[T]his budget has got visionary proposals, but also very specific things that … we really think can and should get done this year, despite all the noise and distractions of the campaign.” That part about Obama’ proposals getting accomplished was nothing more than a political play. Rejecting the budget, the Republican chairs of the budget committees in the Senate and the House said in statements that they won’t waste time by even inviting Donovan up to Capitol Hill to explain Obama’s wish list.

This proposal is more of the same from Obama and his “dismal fiscal legacy,” opined The Daily Signal. Under his leadership, the government’s debt almost doubled from $10.6 trillion to $19 trillion as of last week. His “deficit reduction” came after he blew the deficit through the roof thanks to his bailout policies. It’s easy to cut the deficit after you’ve quadrupled it. And when Congress tried to reign in the spending, Obama mislead Congress when he said a government shutdown would result in America defaulting on its loans. Republicans are right to ignore the lame-duck president and actually get to the business of leading.