Inhofe on President Obama’s First 100 Days
April 29, 2009
By Senator Jim Inhofe
April 29, 2009
I believe the first 100 days of President Obama’s Administration will be remembered for the unprecedented level of new federal spending and the return of big government. This, together with his advocacy of far left liberal causes, from abortion rights, to gun control, to universal health care, will put him on track for a repeat performance of 1993 – when a young Bill Clinton entered the Oval Office under the banner of “change.” He had everything. He had the House and the Senate, and the far left had his hooks in him.
Nothing is more indicative of the stark contrast between conservatives and liberals than the massive government-spending spree now underway in Washington. In his first year in office, Bill Clinton put forward what was then the largest budget to date with a $1.5 trillion budget. Now, on this the 100th day of President Obama’s administration, the Senate is poised to vote on what would become the largest budget to date. This budget, which highlights his priorities, is the most radical and partisan budget we have ever seen and includes $4.4 trillion in additional deficits, $3.5 trillion total spending for 2010 alone, $1 trillion in taxes on individuals and business, a $634 billion “down-payment” for government-run health insurance, $650 billion in energy taxes for climate change, and $750 billion is set aside for more Wall Street bailouts.
Further, I am particularly disturbed that President Obama’s massive spending increases come at the expense of our nation’s military. I was in Afghanistan when President Obama’s military cuts were announced, terminating the F- 22 (the only 5th Generation Fighter we have), terminating the C-17 program, terminating the Future Combat Systems (which is the only ground defense transformation in 50 years), and worst of all, decimating our missile defense system. Sadly, this President is on track to grow this country's obligations to 22% of our GDP while he shrinks defense spending in relation to GDP from 4% to 3%.
There is no more visible evidence that the American people are already rebelling than Arlen Specter becoming a Democrat. He did this for one reason, and that is his advisors told him he couldn’t retain his Senate seat as a Republican. In other words, the same people who supported him 6 years ago have soundly rejected him today. That, my friends, sounds like 1994. The extreme liberal agenda is not sellable to the American people. Just wait and see.
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