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Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Obama to sell Budget to Public

President Obama, trying once again to reach over a wall of resistance in Washington, will make a direct appeal on Tuesday night to the American public to support his economic policies.

But that wall of resistance seems to get higher and harder every day.

Obama, who held a prime-time press conference last month in an effort to build confidence in his stimulus package, is holding another one to promote his $3.6 trillion budget proposal.

The proposal, Obama says in prepared remarks, is part of a comprehensive strategy to attack the economic crisis "on all fronts." He says the plan is "inseparable from this recovery" because it lays the foundation for a "secure and lasting prosperity."

The president's attempt to sell his budget, though, was complicated over the weekend by a fresh estimate that found the president's financial roadmap would produce $9.3 trillion in deficits over the next decade -- or $2.3 trillion more than the administration anticipated. Either estimate would translate into staggering increases to the national debt, triggering high anxiety on Capitol Hill.

Though Treasury officials are mired in a discussion over how to relieve failing banks of their so-called toxic assets, the president's fiscal 2010 spending plan is quickly becoming the toxic budget -- at least to the GOP. - FOX News Story

I will be watching this for some clarity. Basically, what Obama seems to be telling me is that within his budget is another Stimulus Plan. If you need another Stimulus then ask for a stimulus, don't bury it in the budget. That would explain why the budget is so astronomical. If there is a stimulus in there, then that explains the price tag.

That wouldn't be very transparent. We will have to see what he says.

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