Changes

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. To fund it all, families earning more than $250,000 and a variety of businesses will pay steep new taxes. Observers expect a fierce political battle over the budget, with conservatives calling it "class warfare" and detrimental to long-term growth.<ref> see [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123564748462081261.html?mod=djemalertNEWS ''Wall Street Journal'' Feb. 26, 2009]</ref>

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. To fund it all, families earning more than $250,000 and a variety of businesses will pay steep new taxes. Observers expect a fierce political battle over the budget, with conservatives calling it "class warfare" and detrimental to long-term growth.<ref> see [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123564748462081261.html?mod=djemalertNEWS ''Wall Street Journal'' Feb. 26, 2009]</ref>

Obama's carbon [[cap and trade]] system will raise consumer energy prices. It will cost companies $645 billion between 2012 and 2019, which will result in higher prices. All the taxes will be refunded to taxpayers, however. Rep. John Boehner said, "Let's just be honest and call it a carbon tax that will increase taxes on all Americans who drive a car, who have a job, who turn on a light switch, pure and simple."<ref>see [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123566843777484625.html comment from conservative newspaper]</ref>

Obama's carbon [[cap and trade]] system will raise consumer energy prices. It will cost companies $645 billion between 2012 and 2019, which will result in higher prices. Rep. John Boehner said, "Let's just be honest and call it a carbon tax that will increase taxes on all Americans who drive a car, who have a job, who turn on a light switch, pure and simple."<ref>see [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123566843777484625.html comment from conservative newspaper]</ref>

The chairman of the Senate Budget Committee is conservative Democrat [[Kent Conrad]] of [[North Dakota]], a deficit hawk who said he is "very uncomfortable with the build-up of debt" and urged Obama to make good on his promise to overhaul federal retirement and health-care programs. Conrad called for "more discipline on the spending side."<ref> [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/28/AR2009022801960.html?hpid=topnews ''Washington Post'' Mar. 1, 2009]</ref>

The chairman of the Senate Budget Committee is conservative Democrat [[Kent Conrad]] of [[North Dakota]], a deficit hawk who said he is "very uncomfortable with the build-up of debt" and urged Obama to make good on his promise to overhaul federal retirement and health-care programs. Conrad called for "more discipline on the spending side."<ref> [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/28/AR2009022801960.html?hpid=topnews ''Washington Post'' Mar. 1, 2009]</ref>