Republicans Attack Obama Budget, Call It Loaded With Spending

By Shailagh Murray
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, February 26, 2009

Republicans criticized President Obama's first budget as a new spending bonanza that fails to address the entitlement crisis and relies overly on tax increases and new business costs to close the deficit gap.

"This is really big government," said Rep. Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), the ranking GOP member of the House Budget Committee.

Obama proposed a $3.55 trillion blueprint today that would raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans, trim Medicare and impose a pollution tariff on companies for excessive emissions, with the aim of cutting the federal deficit in half by the end of his first term. But Obama also is seeking a vast expansion of domestic programs, including a $634 billion "down payment" on a universal health care program.

Republicans sought to portray the revenue increases as reckless and irresponsible, given the economy's weakening state. "A $1.4 trillion tax hike is not the solution to our economic woes," said Sen. Judd Gregg (N.H.), ranking Republican on the Senate Budget Committee.

(More here.)