Time to Put Our Money Where Our Mouth Is

I suspect this is more politics than belt tightening, but if the President is serious about shrinking government then how can we conservatives possibly say no? Frankly I don't care what party get credit for it...I simply want the government to make moves to keep our Nation solvent. If President Obama is willing to embark then I think we should get behind him and put our money where our mouth is. We should be cheering this on. Talk is cheap...let's do this.

Obama's Smaller Government Plan Kindles Some Republican Warmth

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/1 ... 05332.html

Obama announced Friday that he will ask Congress to give him new authority to consolidate government agencies. His first project would involve merging six major trade and business agencies into one and eliminating the Commerce Department. The reorganization would save $3 billion over 10 years and streamline services for businesses.

Key Republicans tentatively lined up to support the president's plan, which isn't surprising given that the GOP is traditionally the party of smaller government. In fact, Obama is effectively forcing House and Senate Republicans to prove their support for paring down the federal workforce.

The six agencies the president plans to target first are the Small Business Administration, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the Export-Import Bank, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, the Trade and Development Agency, and the trade and business functions at the Commerce Department. Jeffrey Zients, deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget, told reporters Friday that the plan would result in 1,000 to 2,000 jobs being lost. But those cuts would be made through attrition, not layoffs.

I like the old saying that states, "it's amazing what you can accomplish (as a group) when you aren't worried who is going to get the credit for it." This is good for all Americans.

I say go for it! Not impressed with the numbers so far, 0.3Billion/ year ?

Remember Al Gore's re-inventing the Federal Government. Sounds the same.

When they get serious about downsizing the DOE DOT and civilian DOD employees, I'll believe it.

Of course, 1 out of every three jobs that has been downsized has been a government job...(federal, state, local)... But don't let that interrupt the recording that "government continues to grow...." But downsizing the civilian contractors for the DoD, and the no-bid contractors from the KB's, and the Halliburton's, and the Blackwater/Xe/whatever-it-is-this-week (mercenary/assassins)...I'm all for it

We should just hold our collective breaths and take a step in the right direction. Maybe we can gain some momentum. Forget about party for a while and put Nation first.

Good going Obama. But watch, typical goverment, it will cost more money in the short term to shut down these companies.

True. It also takes money to demolish a building, but that short term investment will lead to savings in the long term.