Obama explains the fundamentals of 'smarter government' by SusanG (dailykos.com)
"This isnt about big government or small government. Its about building a smarter government that focuses on what works."
Bravo, President-Elect Obama. That's how you explain the progressive vision of government to an anxious country that needs serious leadership to calm the jitters.
Obama addressed the need for government belt-tightening and a health care system for all at a press conference this morning during which he also named his OMB team:
There is no better person to help lead this effort as Director of the OMB than my friend Peter Orszag. Peter has been one of our nations leading voices on budgetary issues. It is said that a nations budget reflects its priorities. I believe that is true. And I know that Peter will bring to his work at the OMB a set of priorities that I and the American people share.
Throughout his career, he has made significant contributions in our understanding of all the major economic challenges we are now confronting from reducing medical costs to saving Social Security to fighting global climate change to helping put the dream of a college degree within reach for more students.
As Director of the Congressional Budget Office, he reenergized and reinvigorated the agency, while shifting its focus to confront the health care crisis that is not only a cause of so much suffering for so many families, but a rapidly growing portion of our budget and a drag on our entire economy.
But it is not simply Peters past career that makes him qualified for his new appointment, it is his vision for the future. He believes, as I do, that even as we take steps to restore discipline to our budget, we must also take the steps right now that are necessary to solve our immediate crisis.
Peter doesnt need a map to tell him where the bodies are buried in the federal budget. He knows what works and what doesnt, what is worthy of our precious tax dollars and what is not. Just because a program, a special interest tax break or corporate subsidy is tucked into this years budget, does not mean it should survive the next. The old ways of Washington simply cant meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.
And no one is more able or more qualified to assist Peter in this work as Deputy Director of the OMB than Robert Nabors. Rob will bring to this post experience in the executive branch, at the OMB, where he helped the Clinton administration achieve balanced budgets, as well as in the legislative branch, where he led the appropriations committee staff as a driving force for a responsible budget. Together with Peter, Rob will help steer our budget through Congress so that I can sign it into law.
Now, let me be clear: these appointments and the appointments I announced yesterday are not the sum of my economic team. These appointees will work with those I have yet to announce including the secretaries of Energy and Labor, Commerce and Health and Human Services and others in my administration to design a recovery plan for both Wall Street and Main Street, and to put our economy on a path to long-term growth and prosperity.
Because at this moment, we must not only restore confidence in our markets. We must also restore the confidence of middle class families that their government is on their side that its working for them on their behalf to meet their families needs. And that is exactly what I intend to do as President of the United States of America. Thank you.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/11/25/1292/7595/912/666234
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Obama Speech to Congress Part 3/6by tegl1n51,420 views
Health Care....Fix Medicare before starting a new program.... Preventive Healthy problems is totally ignored under the current Medicare program . There is no affordable coverage for broken teeth just when the elderly start to loose there teeth. Do away with Part "A" payments SS Disability of only $1050 a month with a part "A" payback of $100 is stupid.
ubuibiok 3 years ago