Obama Budget Cuts Will Win Him Re-Election

Obama Budget Cuts Will Win Him Re-Election

Our President is pretty clever. Anger the left by proposing budget “cuts” to bread and butter “working families” programs all the while not truly addressing the systemic deficit issue. In so doing, he solidifies his bid for reelection in 2012. How? If the left is angry at him, he can’t be their lapdog, right? That’ll be the message to people in the center when he’s out campaigning this time next year.

Here are the some of the cuts within the President’s budget proposal:

Among the cuts being eyed are $100 billion over 10 years from Pell Grants, which help 9 million students get an education, along with funding for airports and waste-water treatment plants and a five-year freeze on non-security domestic spending. Some taxes would increase for couples earning $250,000 or more. The plan would also ax $78 billion from the Defense budget over the next five years. But it includes increased investments in infrastructure programs such as high-speed rail and education.

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"These cuts include many programs whose mission I care deeply about, but meeting our fiscal targets while investing in our future demands no less," Obama says in his budget message. "All told, we have put forward more than 200 terminations and reductions for over $30 billion in savings."

When you read the President’s words, you get the sense he wants you to feel as though these cuts really hurt him, were really a difficult decision for him. I’m sure they were, but what I also believe is that these cuts are a calculated ploy to appeal to the center of America and say, “Hey I know I had a significant part in increasing our deficit but look I cut these feel good programs so I’m trying to address the problem!” Does his budget address the long term concerns around Social Security or Medicare? Of course not, but hey he’s cutting the Pell Grant!

Republicans weren’t drinking the Kool-aid. “The President punted on the budget, he punted on the deficit” said Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.). The GOP was quick to dismiss the President’s cuts and while I believe the President should have gone much further to reign in spending, the GOP needs to be careful to wage a rhetorical war with Obama. He’s proven that he can win the public, 2010 Congressional races notwithstanding.

The GOP needs to expose the President’s proposal for what it is – a weak attempt at addressing long term budget problems AND offer an alternative that takes direct aim at some of the programs that have ballooned or will balloon over the next decade – I’m looking at you Social Security. If the GOP doesn’t frame the debate, Obama will ride his budget cuts to feel good programs to another victory in 2012.

And we – the American people – will be stuck with another 4 years of a dressed up a pig for a deficit reduction plan. But you know what a dressed up pig is, a pig.

Here’s to hoping the GOP can frame the debate and our government can address the deficit head on and not just the feel good programs.