Obama’s Budget Is All Red : Against Barack Obama

Obama’s Budget Is All Red : Against Barack Obama: "'Just like a broken window has been shown to lead to increased crime because of the signal it sends, perpetuating inefficient programs with a shrug of the shoulders undermines confidence in government and wastes resources,' Orszag told reporters. 'We can no longer afford broken-window budgeting.'

About half of the trims would come from curbing defense programs that have been identified by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates as expendable. They include ending production of the F-22 fighter plane — thus saving $2.9 billion next year — and canceling a new $13 billion presidential helicopter fleet, which would save about $750 million in fiscal 2010."

The $130 billion in war funding that is part of the 2010 budget request includes $65 billion for Afghanistan operations and $61 billion for Iraq. The budget covers Obama's plan to increase U.S. troop strength in Afghanistan by 21,000 this year, but more funds would be required if he decides to meet the request of U.S. commanders for an additional 10,000 troops next year. The budget also includes $700 million for improving Pakistan's counterinsurgency capability — a major increase in such assistance.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon's $534 billion base budget — $21 billion, or 4 percent, larger than last year's — also includes key initiatives to reshape the U.S. military for fighting today's wars. Major shifts include increasing spending on intelligence and reconnaissance, helicopters and Special Operations Forces, while stopping production of unneeded weapons systems and terminating or restructuring other programs considered "troubled."

In addition to the F-22 and presidential helicopter programs, proposed cuts include halting a $19 billion transformational satellite program and trimming $1.2 billion from missile defense.

The proposed budget immediately came under fire today from congressional Republicans. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) charged in a speech that the Obama administration "seems to be forcing the Pentagon to make some needlessly tough choices — even as they justify trillions of dollars for domestic spending in the name of economic stimulus." He said growth of discretionary federal spending by 7.7 percent next year, compared with 4 percent growth in defense spending while the United States fights two wars, "shows the wrong budget priorities for our country."

Cornyn also complained about the plan to cut missile defense spending. "Given the threats we face, now is not the time to cash in a peace dividend," he said.