2007 Budget Criticized for its Size

The president is sending a 2.7 trillion dollar budget proposal to Congress for 2007. Community and Faith Based Initiative Director Jim Towey calls it one of the most family friendly budgets ever.

“It’s compassionate and it’s also realistic. Over 200 million dollars on abstinence education and continued commitment to the Faith Based and Community Initiative, a 36 percent increase. There will be over 330 million dollars for programs that help addicts and the homeless.”

But fiscal conservatives aren’t happy about the size of the budget and say the president is mortgaging our children’s future. Max Pappas is with Freedom Works.

“I think “huge budget” is definitely the right word to use. A 2.7 trillion dollar budget, for perspective, is one trillion dollars larger than it was in 1999.”

Pappas does acknowledge the budget calls for the elimination of more than 140 programs the administration deems to have outlived their usefulness. Tom McClusky of the Family Research Council is taking a “glass half full” perspective.

“With the increase in funding on these subjects, it helps to create closer and closer to a parody between all the bad things we see in this budget.”

McClusky says Washington needs to cut pork out of the budget, which he calls basically a reelection campaign fund for congressmen and senators. The President’s budget is a recommendation that Congress can accept, reject or amend.