Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009 / Act should be passed

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Position: Act should be passed

This position addresses the topic Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009.


For this position


Quotes-start.png "Many will ask whether Mr. Obama can actually pull off the deficit reduction he promises. Can he actually reduce the red ink from $1.75 trillion this year to less than a third as much in 2013? Yes, he can. Right now the deficit is huge thanks to temporary factors (at least we hope they’re temporary): a severe economic slump is depressing revenues and large sums have to be allocated both to fiscal stimulus and to financial rescues. But if and when the crisis passes, the budget picture should improve dramatically." Quotes-end.png
From Climate of Change, by Paul Krugman (The New York Times, February 27, 2009) (view)

Against this position


Quotes-start.png "Obama's budget creates a federal deficit of 12.3 percent of GDP. That is the highest since 1945 when the deficit was 21.5 percent of GDP. It hasn't exceeded 6 percent since then. FDR, fighting the Great Depression, never had a deficit larger than 5.9 percent of GDP. This is not fiscal responsibility. This is recklessness on an unprecedented scale." Quotes-end.png
From Obama's budget: Wanton recklessness, by New Hampshire Union Leader editorial board (New Hampshire Union Leader, March 5, 2009) (view)
Quotes-start.png "The omnibus increases discretionary spending by 8% over last fiscal year's levels, dwarfing the rate of inflation across a broad swath of issues including agriculture, financial services, foreign relations, energy and water programs, and legislative branch operations. Such increases might be appropriate for a nation flush with cash or unconcerned with fiscal prudence, but America is neither." Quotes-end.png
From Deficits and Fiscal Credibility, by Evan Bayh (The Wall Street Journal, March 3, 2009) (view)

Mixed on this position


Quotes-start.png "Mr. Obama has reached for a lot in this budget; he needs to make certain that he remains focused on the economic crisis and to adjust his ambitious aims if the recovery does not proceed as he hopes." Quotes-end.png
From Big Numbers, by The Washington Post editorial board (The Washington Post, February 27, 2009) (view)