May 8, 2009 10:54AM 

# About the President’s Proposed Budget Cuts … 

By [Doug Bandow](https://www.cato.org/people/doug-bandow) 

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That didn’t take long. [Tad DeHaven yesterday took a look](<President Obama's modest proposal to slice $17 billion from 121 government programs quickly ran into a buzz saw of opposition on Capitol Hill yesterday, as an array of Democratic lawmakers vowed to fight White House efforts to deprive their favorite initiatives of federal funds. >) at the president’s truly pitiful half percent cut (I hesitate to even use the word) from $3.4 trillion in planned spending. But the administration isn’t likely to get even that. Alas, no one seems to have talked to congressional Democrats first.

[Reports the *Washington Post*:](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/07/AR2009050702001.html?hpid=topnews)

> President Obama’s modest proposal to slice $17 billion from 121 government programs quickly ran into a buzz saw of opposition on Capitol Hill yesterday, as an array of Democratic lawmakers vowed to fight White House efforts to deprive their favorite initiatives of federal funds.
> 
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> [Sen. Dianne Feinstein](http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/f000062/) (D‑Calif.) said she is “committed” to keeping a $400 million program that reimburses states for jailing illegal immigrants, a task she called “a total federal responsibility.”
> 
> 
> [Rep. Mike Ross](http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/r000573/) (D‑Ark.) said he would oppose “any cuts” in agriculture subsidies because “farmers and farm families depend on this federal assistance.”
> 
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> And [Rep. Maurice D. Hinchey](http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/h000627/) (D‑N.Y.) vowed to force the White House to accept delivery of a new presidential helicopter Obama says he doesn’t need and doesn’t want. The helicopter program, which cost $835 million this year, supports 800 jobs in Hinchey’s district. “I do think there’s a good chance we can save it,” he said.
> 
> 
> The news releases began flying as Obama unveiled the long-awaited details of his $3.4 trillion spending plan, including a list of programs he wants to trim or eliminate. Though the proposed reductions represent just one-half of 1 percent of next year’s budget, the swift protest was a precursor of the battle Obama will face within his own party to control spending and rein in a budget deficit projected to exceed $1.2 trillion next year.

Oh well. Billions, trillions, quadrillions. As a buddy of mine says: “It’s only money!”

##### Related Tags 

[Government and Politics](https://www.cato.org/government-politics), [Tax and Budget Policy](https://www.cato.org/tax-budget-policy) 

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