Changes

The Budget assumes a federal deficit of $1.75 trillion for 2009, or 12.3% of GDP--the highest deficit in percentage terms since World War II. By 2013, the hypothetical deficit will drop to $533 billion but then will begin to climb again. The budget includes an additional $250 billion for more rescues of the financial markets by purchasing toxic assets on the banking sector's books.

The Budget assumes a federal deficit of $1.75 trillion for 2009, or 12.3% of GDP--the highest deficit in percentage terms since World War II. By 2013, the hypothetical deficit will drop to $533 billion but then will begin to climb again. The budget includes an additional $250 billion for more rescues of the financial markets by purchasing toxic assets on the banking sector's books.

The budget reorders national priorities to provide national health care, shift the energy economy away from oil and gas, and raise the federal spending on schools.  

The budget reorders national priorities to provide national health care and raise the federal spending on schools.  

[[Image:Budget-cbo.jpg|thumb|250px|left]] The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the Obama plans will raise the national debt far more than Obama says. The CBO says the Obama plan will cause total deficits over the next ten years of $9.3 trillion, compared to Obama's estimate of "only" 7 trillion. That is in addition to the current national debt of $11.2 trillion and rising.  The annual GDP by contrast is about $15 trillion and falling.<ref> Jackie Calmes, "New Deficit Forecast Casts Shadow on Obama Agenda," [http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/21/washington/21deficit.html?th&emc=th ''New York Times'' Mar. 20, 2009]</ref> Senator Jedd Gregg says that Obama's budget will double the national debt in five years and triple it in ten. <ref>http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/mar/25/judd-gregg/judd-gregg-says-obamas-budget-doubles-national-deb/</ref>

[[Image:Budget-cbo.jpg|thumb|250px|left]] The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the Obama plans will raise the national debt far more than Obama says. The CBO says the Obama plan will cause total deficits over the next ten years of $9.3 trillion, compared to Obama's estimate of "only" 7 trillion. That is in addition to the current national debt of $11.2 trillion and rising.  The annual GDP by contrast is about $15 trillion and falling.<ref> Jackie Calmes, "New Deficit Forecast Casts Shadow on Obama Agenda," [http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/21/washington/21deficit.html?th&emc=th ''New York Times'' Mar. 20, 2009]</ref> Senator Jedd Gregg says that Obama's budget will double the national debt in five years and triple it in ten. <ref>http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/mar/25/judd-gregg/judd-gregg-says-obamas-budget-doubles-national-deb/</ref>

On February 27, 2009 President Obama announced a deadline to withdrawal combat troops from [[Iraq]] by August 2010. However, 35,000 to 50,000 troops known as a "transitional force" to defend "civilian intersts" will remain. In June 2009, U.S. troops began to pull out of Iraq's major cities<ref>http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jKrTBxDcg3RzbLdAkUnob12YI4WwD9959L780</ref>. Conservatives are generally pleased that Obama has continued the successful Bush policies.

On February 27, 2009 President Obama announced a deadline to withdrawal combat troops from [[Iraq]] by August 2010. However, 35,000 to 50,000 troops known as a "transitional force" to defend "civilian intersts" will remain. In June 2009, U.S. troops began to pull out of Iraq's major cities<ref>http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jKrTBxDcg3RzbLdAkUnob12YI4WwD9959L780</ref>. Conservatives are generally pleased that Obama has continued the successful Bush policies.

==Environmental policy==

==Environmental policy==

 

:''Main article : '''''[[Gulf oil spill disaster]]'''

:''Main article : '''''[[Gulf oil spill disaster]]'''

The ''[[New York Times]]'' has reported since January 2009 the [[Obama]] administration has approved at least three huge oil and gas lease sales, 103 seismic blasting projects and 346 oil drilling plans.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/14/us/14agency.html?partner=rss&emc=rss  

The ''[[New York Times]]'' has reported since January 2009 the [[Obama]] administration has approved at least three huge oil and gas lease sales, 103 seismic blasting projects and 346 oil drilling plans.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/14/us/14agency.html?partner=rss&emc=rss  

U.S. Said to Allow Drilling Without Needed Permits,] Ian Urbina, ''New York Times'', 13 May 2010. Retrieved 28 May 2010.</ref> Documents from the [[Department of Interior]]'s Mineral Management Service (MMS) show that permission for those projects and plans was granted without getting the permits required under federal law.<ref>''NYT'', ibid.</ref> Federal records show one of the permits issued was for the well drilled by the Deepwater Horizon rig, which exploded on 20 April 2010, killing 11 workers<ref>''NYT'' ibid.</ref> and resulting in nearly 30 million barrels of crude oil dumped into the [[Gulf of Mexico]], contaminating shorelines and killing wildlife, and by far the largest environmental disaster in the history of the [[United States]].<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/28/us/28flow.html Estimates Suggest Spill Is Biggest in U.S. History,] Tom Zeller, Jr., ''New York Times, 27 May 2010.</ref><ref>[http://www.examiner.com/x-33986-Political-Spin-Examiner~y2010m4d29-Worst-environmental-disaster-in-US-history-Oil-slick-in-Gulf-of-Mexico-is-set-on-fire Worst environmental disaster in US history,] Maryann Tobin, ''Examiner'', April 29, 2010.</ref><ref>http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/law_order_corporate_crime_unit_20100518/</ref>

U.S. Said to Allow Drilling Without Needed Permits,] Ian Urbina, ''New York Times'', 13 May 2010. Retrieved 28 May 2010.</ref> Documents from the [[Department of Interior]]'s Mineral Management Service (MMS) show that permission for those projects and plans was granted without getting the permits required under federal law.<ref>''NYT'', ibid.</ref> Federal records show one of the permits issued was for the well drilled by the Deepwater Horizon rig, which exploded on 20 April 2010, killing 11 workers<ref>''NYT'' ibid.</ref> and resulting in nearly 30 million barrels of [[crude oil]] dumped into the [[Gulf of Mexico]], contaminating shorelines and killing wildlife, and by far the largest environmental disaster in the history of the [[United States]].<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/28/us/28flow.html Estimates Suggest Spill Is Biggest in U.S. History,] Tom Zeller, Jr., ''New York Times, 27 May 2010.</ref><ref>[http://www.examiner.com/x-33986-Political-Spin-Examiner~y2010m4d29-Worst-environmental-disaster-in-US-history-Oil-slick-in-Gulf-of-Mexico-is-set-on-fire Worst environmental disaster in US history,] Maryann Tobin, ''Examiner'', April 29, 2010.</ref><ref>http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/law_order_corporate_crime_unit_20100518/</ref>

President Obama personally approved offshore oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico<ref>[http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0430/Gulf-of-Mexico-oil-spill-imperils-Obama-s-offshore-drilling-plan Gulf of Mexico oil spill imperils Obama's offshore drilling plan,] By Mark Clayton, ''Christian Science Monitor'', April 30, 2010.</ref> and was widely criticized for his slow reaction to the drilling disaster. While authorizing offshore drilling<ref>[http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/30/the-oil-spill-is-obamas-fault/?src=twt&twt=NytimesKrugman Conscience of a Liberal: The Oil Spill Is Obama’s Fault,] Paul Krugman, ''New York Times'', April 30, 2010.</ref> the president stated, "oil rigs today generally don’t cause spills.  They are technologically very advanced."<ref>White House Press Release, [http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-a-discussion-jobs-and-economy-charlotte-north-carolina Remarks by the President in a Discussion on Jobs and the Economy in Charlotte, North Carolina,] Office of the Press Secretary, April 02, 2010. Retrieved from whitehouse.gov 3 May 2010.</ref><ref>''[http://members.greenpeace.org/blog/greenpeaceusa_blog/2010/04/30/president_obama_committed_to_endangering President Obama must reinstate moratorium on offshore drilling,]'' [[Greenpeace]] USA blogs, 30 Apr 2010.</ref><ref>http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2010/04/28/obama-katrina-spill/</ref>

President Obama personally approved offshore oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico<ref>[http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0430/Gulf-of-Mexico-oil-spill-imperils-Obama-s-offshore-drilling-plan Gulf of Mexico oil spill imperils Obama's offshore drilling plan,] By Mark Clayton, ''Christian Science Monitor'', April 30, 2010.</ref> and was widely criticized for his slow reaction to the drilling disaster. While authorizing offshore drilling<ref>[http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/30/the-oil-spill-is-obamas-fault/?src=twt&twt=NytimesKrugman Conscience of a Liberal: The Oil Spill Is Obama’s Fault,] Paul Krugman, ''New York Times'', April 30, 2010.</ref> the president stated, "oil rigs today generally don’t cause spills.  They are technologically very advanced."<ref>White House Press Release, [http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-a-discussion-jobs-and-economy-charlotte-north-carolina Remarks by the President in a Discussion on Jobs and the Economy in Charlotte, North Carolina,] Office of the Press Secretary, April 02, 2010. Retrieved from whitehouse.gov 3 May 2010.</ref><ref>''[http://members.greenpeace.org/blog/greenpeaceusa_blog/2010/04/30/president_obama_committed_to_endangering President Obama must reinstate moratorium on offshore drilling,]'' [[Greenpeace]] USA blogs, 30 Apr 2010.</ref><ref>http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2010/04/28/obama-katrina-spill/</ref>