And how did Pete know you may ask?
Why he went to the source: the White House web site. There under the issues section for Fiscal Responsibility, the President proudly outlines his goals.
- Cut the deficit in half by the end of the President’s first term.
- Review the budget line-by-line for waste.
- Return to honest budgeting.
On Fox News Sunday, Chris Wallace raised the issue with White House Chief of Staff Jack Lew, as though it were a broken promise from 2009, little realizing that it was still the goal of this White House.
But we are confident in the President's sincerity and his determination to achieve the goals he sets out. We are looking forward to pouring over his new budget for the clues to cutting the deficit in half by the end of this year, for some of those blank lines where waste has been removed, and of, course, for the return to honest budgeting.
It is now incunbent upon Congress to quickly pass the Presdent's budget so that we can all find out what's in it. A unanimous vote, like the President received in the Senate last year for his 2011 budget proposal, would go a long way towards showing our citizens and the world that we are serious about reducing our deficit. Plus, such a timely vote would go far in removing the stigma of a "do-nothing Congress."
Note to Readers & Other Bloggers: As you check out the White House web site, please make a time-stamped copy of what you find. We are curious as to just how long they leave up the President's "goals" for all to see. This post filed at 8:44 AM MST.
Update February 17: related story by Philip Klein in the Washington Examiner White House Still Touting Pledge to Halve Deficit
Update February 21: One week after the story was first posted here at PPPS, "Cut deficit in half" goal still up on White House web site.
Update February 24: White House web site story link posted on HotAir today. Thanks Ed.
Update February 28: Still up there. They must not follow Pundit Pete. Go figure.
Update March 14: One month later, still up there. Mmmm..... how long can this go?
Update April 9: Still up there. How's that line-by-line thing working out? GSA anyone?
Update May 1: Still up there. We're sure that those cuts are coming soon.
Update May 18: Up there for last time. You can see the page as recorded on the internet archive Wayback Machine. The page was changed on May 19 as a follow up to the formal launch of the President's 2012 campaign which occurred on May 5. It seems that when starting a new campaign, it is important to have a whole new set of promises, and to obliterate any record of the many previous promises that you did not meet.
Udate September, 2013: For nostalgia sake, as we head into this year's round of debt ceiling debates, here is the original video announcement from 2009. Enjoy!
2-14-12: 4:42PM Still up! http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o276/el_Sooper_MexyCon/deficithalved.jpg
ReplyDeleteHey Soop, you came back! Congrats on your mention on Michelle Malkin's blog. My only question though. Does SooperMexican eat chimichangas? Just wondering.
ReplyDeleteOh and as of 10:05 AM MST it was still up on the White House site. I guess maybe they don't follow Pundit Pete, or soupermexican. What a shame.
The last truly Republican Budget (FY 2007) had a deficit of -161. Billion. What is it again?? Oh and the unemployment rate was 4.4% then...
ReplyDeleteSteve
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