MADISON- Today on Face the Nation, Wisconsin Republican Congressman Paul Ryan claimed that the President’s budget locked in high spending levels and disputed $400 billion in cuts to non-security discretionary spending. But the reality is that President Obama’s budget would bring non-security discretionary spending to the lowest level since the Eisenhower Administration.
RHETORIC:
“The president does not cut $400 billion in spending. His plan locks in the high spending levels we have.”
REALITY:
Obama Cut $400 Billion Of Discretionary Spending From 2012 Budget. Obama proposed “a 2012 federal budget that cuts the federal deficit by $1.1 trillion over 10 years. About $400 billion of this will come from a five-year freeze on non-security discretionary spending – including all sorts of programs for poor and working-class Americans, such as heating assistance to low-income people and community service block grants.” [San Francisco Chronicle, 2/20/11]
Obama Budget Would Bring Discretionary Spending To Lowest Level Since Eisenhower. “The White House and congressional Democrats have estimated the freeze would save the government $400 billion over the next decade and would bring domestic discretionary spending to the lowest level since the Eisenhower administration.” [Washington Post, 2/16/11]
