FORBES: Obama is the Smallest Government Spender Since Eisenhower

[AmericasLastHope]

It’s enough to make even the most ardent Obama cynic scratch his head in confusion.

Amidst all the cries of Barack Obama being the most prolific big government spender the nation has ever suffered, Marketwatch is reporting that our president has actually been tighter with a buck than any United States president since Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Who knew?

So, how have the Republicans managed to persuade Americans to buy into the whole “Obama as big spender” narrative?

It might have something to do with the first year of the Obama presidency where the federal budget increased a whopping 17.9% —going from $2.98 trillion to $3.52 trillion. I’ll bet you think that this is the result of the Obama sponsored stimulus plan that is so frequently vilified by the conservatives…but you would be wrong.

The first year of any incoming president term is saddled—for better or for worse—with the budget set by the president whom immediately precedes the new occupant of the White House. Indeed, not only was the 2009 budget the property of George W. Bush—and passed by the 2008 Congress—it was in effect four months before Barack Obama took the oath of office.

Accordingly, the first budget that can be blamed on our current president began in 2010 with the budgets running through and including including fiscal year 2013 standing as charges on the Obama account, even if a President Willard M. Romney takes over the office on January 20, 2013.

So, how do the actual Obama annual budgets look?

Courtesy of Marketwatch-

In fiscal 2010 (the first Obama budget) spending fell 1.8% to $3.46 trillion.
In fiscal 2011, spending rose 4.3% to $3.60 trillion.
In fiscal 2012, spending is set to rise 0.7% to $3.63 trillion, according to the Congressional Budget Office’s estimate of the budget that was agreed to last August.
Finally in fiscal 2013 — the final budget of Obama’s term — spending is scheduled to fall 1.3% to $3.58 trillion. Read the CBO’s latest budget outlook.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickunga...-barack-obama/

[silverhandorder]

That is completely irrelevant. When you have trillions of deficit, highest debt in the world I don't think it matters who or what you are. What matters is that the country is completely bankrupt and you either face it or you don't. Mainstream is in denial and trying to grab as much loot as possible before the collapse.

[fletcher]

Proven false.

http://news.investors.com/article/61...pendthrift.htm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...html#pagebreak

[RPfan1992]

I have been seeing lately people using statistics like this to label Obama as a "centrist" and not a far leftist and using this to justify what he is doing.

[AuH20]

I knew they would strategically make deductions to make his spending look relatively reasonable. By the same token, Obamacare really doesn't get rolling until 2014. After that it's a epic mess.

[thoughtomator]

But Obama hasn't passed a budget, has he? When was the last time the Senate passed one? I heard we passed 1200 days recently. Obama's last budget got voted down 414-0. Adding up fantasy numbers that don't reflect reality isn't very informative. Besides, it's the House which is primarily responsible for spending anyway - "all appropriations must originate" and all that.

[Zippyjuan]

The fiscal year starts in October. The first month we were officially under an "Obama" budget (the budgets are really written and passed by the Congress- the president can propose and then either sign or veto them) was November 2009. Until then (aside from supplemental spending bills) the country was operating on the budget passed under the Bush administration and the previous congress. Fiscal Year 2010 was the first which can be atributed to the Obama presidency.

[ILUVRP]

"The Constitution gives the power of the purse to Congress. The President cannot spend a dime unless that dime has been voted on and passed by the House and Senate."

so is it the congress or the potus .

[Adrock]

nm

[angelatc]

The fiscal year starts in October. The first month we were officially under an "Obama" budget (the budgets are really written and passed by the Congress- the president can propose and then either sign or veto them) was November 2009. Until then (aside from supplemental spending bills) the country was operating on the budget passed under the Bush administration and the previous congress. Fiscal Year 2010 was the first which can be atributed to the Obama presidency.

According to the comments under the article that's not true. Bush proposed it, but Obama signed it.