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January 30, 2015

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Obama to seek to bust limits on spending

US President Barack Obama will seek to bust through spending limits for both domestic and defense programs, the White House said yesterday, negating the effects of across-the-board cuts agreed to by both Democrats and Republicans and signed by Obama into law.

The president鈥檚 brazen proposal to Congress, two months after his fellow Democrats were routed in November elections, reflected the White House鈥檚 newfound confidence on the economy. Obama鈥檚 aides believe that improving conditions give Obama credibility to push his spending priorities unabashedly 鈥 despite the fact that Republicans still believe government spends far too much.

Federal deficits, gas prices and unemployment are all falling, while Obama鈥檚 poll numbers have crept upward.

The president has been newly combative as he argues it鈥檚 time to ease the harsh measures that were taken to help pull the economy out of recession.

鈥淭he president believes we should end the era of manufactured crises and mindless austerity,鈥 the White House said as Obama prepared to meet with Democrats in the House of Representatives in Philadelphia.

But while the proposal to spend more on things like education, sick leave and health care was sure to delight many members of his own party, it's Republicans who now fully control all of Congress.

鈥淧revious budgets submitted by the president have purported to reverse the bipartisan spending limits through tax increases that the Congress 鈥 even under Democrats 鈥 could never accept,鈥 said Don Stewart, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell鈥檚 deputy chief of staff.


 

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