“United States federal budget” on The Daily Caller

The new Republican majority in the House of Representatives possesses a short window to maintain the support and good will of both independent voters and the grassroots Tea Party movement. In fact, they have one budget cycle — from now until autumn — to act. (more)

I watched what I thought was the State of the Union for 15 minutes on Tuesday before I figured out that it was The Biggest Loser. (more)

This week, the president delivered his State of the Union address to Congress. The president talked at length about several investments that we must make in our country, and I agree that we should look for common ground where investments are needed. Unfortunately, we did not hear him talk about areas where we can afford to make due with less right now, and that’s where this Congress has its work cut out. We must push the president to create a more fiscally responsible budget. (more)

President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address started out with some promise, but in the end, while it did not necessarily surprise, it did disappoint. (more)

Remarks of Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) – As Prepared for Delivery
House Budget Committee Hearing Room, Washington, DC
January 25, 2011 (more)

Here’s the spin and the facts from the White House – and from Republicans – on the spending freeze in President Obama’s State of the Union address. (more)

Sen. Pat Toomey introduced a bill Tuesday aimed at laying out a path for the federal government to avoid default on its obligations if the debt limit is not raised in the coming months. (more)

Sen. Mark Warner, a centrist Democrat from Virginia, said Monday that he will be looking for more than just a focus on growth and innovation in President Obama’s State of the Union address on Tuesday night. (more)

America is in a financial crisis. For years, politicians on both sides of the aisle have ignored the 800-pound gorilla in the room — our climbing $14 trillion national debt. That trend seems like it will continue with reports coming out over the weekend that President Obama will request more government spending in the State of the Union. I had hoped that a detailed plan on how to curb our government’s overspending would be the focus of the president’s speech. However, it looks like what he really wants is, in essence, another stimulus. We all know that the stimulus package passed during the early days of this administration failed miserably and contributed to the $14 trillion debt. If we do not address the ever-increasing debt, America may sink into a dangerous financial abyss.  (more)

Yesterday’s report that Wisconsin Republican Paul Ryan will be delivering the GOP response to next week’s State of the Union address is welcome news, and is but the latest signal that Washington may finally — FINALLY — be prepared to tackle the nation’s fiscal and budgetary woes. (more)

The unemployment rate and the nation’s increasingly precarious fiscal position – its enormous budget deficits and its ballooning debt – will be the dual points of emphasis in President Obama’s second State of the Union address on Tuesday. (more)

A number of the House GOP’s leading conservative members on Thursday will announce legislation that would cut $2.5 trillion over 10 years, which will be by far the most ambitious and far-reaching proposal by the new majority to cut federal government spending. (more)

The 112th Congress took the oath of office a few days ago with the clearest mandate from the American people in recent memory: Cut the size and cost of government — a lot. (more)

CBS News reports that most Americans (77%) want to cut Washington’s out-of-control spending rather than raise taxes (which only 9% favor) in order to balance the federal budget, but only 38% can name a specific program’s budget that they’d be willing to see cut. (more)

A top official at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said Thursday that the nation’s largest business lobby would support eliminating most of the tax loopholes obtained by large corporations to move toward comprehensive tax reform that resulted in lower rates. (more)

For too long, our government has been fiscally irresponsible and allowed reckless spending that has added three trillion dollars to the national debt in just the two years since Obama took office. In fact, since Democrats took control of Congress in 2007, we’ve seen our debt level increased by 91 percent. These actions have serious consequences. The health of the American economy is at risk, and we must work together to put America back on the path to prosperity. (more)

The annual predictions derby has started again. I wanted to resist getting into that race this year, but when I went back to see how I did at the beginning of 2010, I was pleasantly surprised. Here are the predictions I made for 2010 in my January 3, 2010 commentary: (more)

House Republicans are putting in place a rule next year, when they take control, that they hope will help them win the battle over how to reduce the deficit. (more)

In August of this year, Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, advised Congress that “The National debt is the biggest threat to our national security.” In November, voter sentiment against the debt and deficit led to an historic rebuke of Congressional incumbents. In December, the president’s debt commission laid out in stark terms the imminent economic impact of continued deficit spending. Apparently rejecting these clarion calls, the president and Congress acted in the lame-duck session to cut not one dime of federal spending, while increasing the national debt by nearly $1 trillion. They are ignoring a glaring problem that, if not addressed soon, will cause a panoply of other problems. (more)

In 2008, young adults in America experienced a collective political awakening when, inspired by the Gospel of Hope and Change, they turned out in record numbers to “Rock the Vote” for Barack Obama. (more)