Politics

Chump Change

By Sunlight Foundation & Participatory Politics Foundation

Craig Jennings at OMB Watch visualizes the deficit reduction we can expect to see from the plan to freeze all non-defense discretionary spending that President Obama will announce tonight:

Beyond the fact that the freeze is just a small gesture in the face of a giant, systemic problem, Jennings adds this warning:

And that Obama is merely putting a cap — and not an across-the-board freeze — on domestic discretionary spending is especially troubling, because when congressional appropriators working within this framework get down to business this summer, it will be they who decide which programs get cuts and which programs get bumps. And in Washington, those with the loudest political voice (i.e moneyed) will see their favored programs thrive, while marginalized populations who can’t afford big time lobbyists will see their programs cut.

Full post as published by Open Congress on January 27, 2010 (boomark / email).