Gibbs: Obama’s tiny, tiny budget cut is big money where I’m from
posted at 7:15 pm on April 20, 2009 by Allahpundit
Painfully stupid, but what else can he say? So fantastically huge is The One’s budget and so staggering the deficits we’re facing that it’s hard to even imagine a budget cut large enough to qualify as impressive. I laughed in the marijuana post at the idea of legalization bringing in an extra $20 billion a year in revenue given the pricetag on TARP, but $20 billion’s fully 200 times more than Obama’s $100 million trim. Democratic shill Jennifer Loven asks a good question of Gibbs: Why even announce something this paltry? Why not wait until they’ve put together a package of, say, $100 billion in cuts? All this does is inadvertently underscore how gargantuan the budget is.
Note Tapper’s follow-up about how Gibbs, just weeks ago, found the idea of $8 billion in earmarks — 80 times the size of this budget cut — “minuscule” in the context of the appropriations bill. Oh, and also the footage of Obama urging his cabinet to cut another $100 million from each of their agencies. Using Greg Mankiw’s analogy, that amounts to … what? A week’s worth of Starbucks?
Blowback
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Couldn’t have said it better myself. I mean, the man is a walking straw man.
Richard Romano on April 20, 2009 at 7:18 PM
Jake Tapper hook,line & Sinker’d this stupid Obama spokesmouth. It was rather amusing to watch.
portlandon on April 20, 2009 at 7:19 PM
Makes Scott McClellan look articulate. Never thought I’d see that.
Wethal on April 20, 2009 at 7:20 PM
$52 million over five years to buy office supplies in bulk!!
I have no words……..
tru2tx on April 20, 2009 at 7:21 PM
Does he ever answer a question? How refreshing to see (some) media call him out on his buffoonery.
ctmom on April 20, 2009 at 7:22 PM
Good God, Gibbs is dumb. If he wasn’t so pathetic he’d be knee slapping funny.
rplat on April 20, 2009 at 7:23 PM
All Gibbs, all the time.
I suppose it is better than all Obama, all the time.
But, while Obama has asked Americans to tighten their belts and make tough choices concerning the economy…
According to Reuters, Obama proposes $100 billion in U.S. funding for the International Monetary Fund [World Bank].
And, Obama also asked for increased voting rights for “emerging economies”….like, maybe, Cuba, or Venezuela, or Bolivia, or Iran, or North Korea….?
That tiny budget cut Gibb’s thinks is real money ain’t nothing compared to a $100 billion here, or $900 billion to Gaza, or a few extra billion to some other godforsaken place or despot who needs it more than the average American family who right now can’t afford a new belt to tighten.
coldwarrior on April 20, 2009 at 7:24 PM
Gibbs is a useful idiot and has no honor whatsoever.
csdeven on April 20, 2009 at 7:24 PM
The budget cut is only symbolic, of course, but let’s take that and THEN, Mr. POTUS, announce that you WILL ALLOW the banks to PAY BACK the TARP money IMMEDIATELY.
Getting back 20 BILLION is much better than just the cuts alone.
Gibbs is doing the impossible….MAKING SCOTT McCLELLAN look good
originalpechanga on April 20, 2009 at 7:25 PM
they cut conferences, so thereby further hurting Airlines, Hotels, Restaurants, and shoe shine men.
What they really need to do is eliminate Half of the Agencies and Departments…but I’m not holding my breath. They only create more and more…and Joe Biden is in charge of watching where the money goes, that might give nice343 and getalife a tingle up their legs, but it’s more like a dog peeing on my leg.
kirkill on April 20, 2009 at 7:25 PM
Gibbs maneuvering is pathetic.
Can’t blame him though. He’s in a pathetic situation.
blatantblue on April 20, 2009 at 7:25 PM
This guy is so dumb.
Chudi on April 20, 2009 at 7:26 PM
What a rube. You could probably jack up the price of a house worth $250,000 to $999,999 and then have him falling all over himself to buy it if you gave him a 1% discount.
MB4 on April 20, 2009 at 7:26 PM
I for one am glad Obama is becoming fiscally responsible.
Pizza from St. Louis anyone?
Daggett on April 20, 2009 at 7:26 PM
What’s the over/under on how long before Gibbs “retires”?
JetBoy on April 20, 2009 at 7:26 PM
Right. It’s hard to believe even some of these proposed cuts, unless the government was previously spending money as inefficiently as possible – which may be the case, I guess. Meh, it’s a literal drop in the bucket anyways, if that.
kc8ukw on April 20, 2009 at 7:26 PM
Crumb tossing BO. He saw the polls on the tea parties and decided to toss something out to try to buy us off. Fail.
canditaylor68 on April 20, 2009 at 7:27 PM
Cutting the VA and USDA . . . ummmm That’s it. I’m building a ladder to Mars. Who’s with me?
- The Cat
MirCat on April 20, 2009 at 7:27 PM
Quite Orwellian.
Your chocolate ration has been increased from 3 grams to 5 grams.
Ignorance is strength.
Freedom is slavery.
War is peace.
daesleeper on April 20, 2009 at 7:28 PM
Did you ever wonder what happened to Baghdad Bob?
Well now you know.
MB4 on April 20, 2009 at 7:28 PM
Every time I see Gibbs on tv, I can’t help but think of Lenny, and Squiggy from Laverne, and Shirley. Greasy, forked tongued, slimy doofus, who thinks he’s all that.
capejasmine on April 20, 2009 at 7:29 PM
Can’t help but think of scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz when this man speaks.
christene on April 20, 2009 at 7:30 PM
Looking at this administration over the past 2 weeks, I haven’t been this embarrassed for my country since Billy Carter did his business behind a tree.
gitarfan on April 20, 2009 at 7:30 PM
I can’t decide whether to buy stock in Staples or Sanitariums
Rovin on April 20, 2009 at 7:31 PM
Mmm. Robert Gibbs is truly the craftiest PS in history.
Emily M. on April 20, 2009 at 7:31 PM
we have our very own baghdad bob!
unseen on April 20, 2009 at 7:31 PM
Such pathos!
clnurnberg on April 20, 2009 at 7:31 PM
That was just painful to watch.
Terrye on April 20, 2009 at 7:31 PM
Wasn’t my chocolate ration 10 grams last week?
burnitup on April 20, 2009 at 7:32 PM
McClellan you genius!
- The Cat
MirCat on April 20, 2009 at 7:33 PM
Robert Gibbs is an idiot….did they ever think to cut Obama’s travel???????????
ladyingray on April 20, 2009 at 7:33 PM
This confirms that we’re not likely to get through the 12 steps in the first term.
moxie_neanderthal on April 20, 2009 at 7:33 PM
I mean ahhh really ahh it is all ahh relative doncha know…
Terrye on April 20, 2009 at 7:33 PM
This confirms that we’re not likely to get through the 12 steps in the first term.
moxie_neanderthal on April 20, 2009 at 7:33 PM
Robert Gibbs is an idiot….did they ever think to cut Obama’s travel???????????
ladyingray on April 20, 2009 at 7:33 PM
McClellan you genius!
- The Cat
MirCat on April 20, 2009 at 7:34 PM
Does Gibbs have nightmares about Tapper?
Oh, no…wait…those are the actual press conferences.
MadisonConservative on April 20, 2009 at 7:34 PM
Tough job trying to defend a “jello” president especially when you are dumb as brick…
d1carter on April 20, 2009 at 7:34 PM
I mean ahhh really ahh it is all ahh relative doncha know…
Terrye on April 20, 2009 at 7:34 PM
Wasn’t my chocolate ration 10 grams last week?
burnitup on April 20, 2009 at 7:35 PM
McClellan you genius!
- The Cat
MirCat on April 20, 2009 at 7:35 PM
This confirms that we’re not likely to get through the 12 steps in the first term.
moxie_neanderthal on April 20, 2009 at 7:35 PM
Robert Gibbs is an idiot….did they ever think to cut Obama’s travel???????????
ladyingray on April 20, 2009 at 7:35 PM
Those villains, and in particular the villains at the tea parties, said they were demonstrating to stop my great President’s wonderful
pay offinvestment programs. Not only are they disappointed, I think they are hysterical.- Baghdad Gibbs
MB4 on April 20, 2009 at 7:36 PM
I don’t know, I was getting a nice laugh out of it. These people are morons. The best part is that even the Associated Press is calling them out on it. And Tapper is awesome!
XWing5 on April 20, 2009 at 7:36 PM
Give Gibbs a break. After all, he has the toughest job in America. You know-it-alls try making the President’s policies sound intelligent.
/sarc
hicsuget on April 20, 2009 at 7:36 PM
Notice the cuts were in leases, and purchasing, but not downsizing.
right2bright on April 20, 2009 at 7:36 PM
Wow…100 million…which means 100 different federal departments would need to trim one million apiece.
We gave 900 million to the Palestinians; they aren’t U.S. citizens and they pay no U.S. taxes.
Think I’ll take my wallet out behind the shed and but a bullet in it. Poor thing, whining and in pain since January. It’s time ol’ boy, there there, rest now.
Bishop on April 20, 2009 at 7:37 PM
Those tea parties are not any place. They are not on the move everywhere. They hold no place in the Obama Nation. They are an illusion.
- Baghdad Gibbs
MB4 on April 20, 2009 at 7:37 PM
unreal. Yeah we’re all rich making 50k a year. They just blew trillions, with a T which will never ever ever be paid back. When we dont want to eat at MCDonalds everyday then our ambitions are too high. 2010 and 2012 cant come fast enough. This is brutal.
johnnyU on April 20, 2009 at 7:38 PM
Let’s cut Gibbs some slack here.
The poor guy has to pimp for a pimp.
TexasJew on April 20, 2009 at 7:39 PM
The protesters are not there. They’re not in Washington. They are nowhere in America. There aren’t even any in Texas. Never. They’re nowhere at all.
- Baghdad Gibbs
MB4 on April 20, 2009 at 7:40 PM
During one of the debates, Dear Leader dismissed His $900 million in earmarks by complaining about the multi-hundred billion dollar deficits under Bush. These “cuts” are 1/9 of that.
rbj on April 20, 2009 at 7:41 PM
Those dangerous malcontent veterans, outdated constitutionalists, money pinchers, nativists and baby lovers will be burnt. We are going to tackle them.
- Baghdad Gibbs
MB4 on April 20, 2009 at 7:43 PM
thomasaur on April 20, 2009 at 7:45 PM
Don’t laugh that’s big money where I come from!!
jdkchem on April 20, 2009 at 7:45 PM
this has probably been said
i havent read the whole thread
but they can save money BY FIRING GIBBS!
blatantblue on April 20, 2009 at 7:45 PM
I hope the BIG O keeps Gibsy around for a very long time. I love every post about him.They’re funny as hell… He is trying to be funny right? Nobody could actually be this stupid
train on April 20, 2009 at 7:45 PM
We can’t “cut and find efficiencies”, “consolidate”, “streamline”, etc. our way out of this mess. I don’t even think dramatically slashing appropriations in discretionary spending can bring this around. The one thing nobody wants to talk about is that Medicare/Medicaid and Social Security costs are rising faster and increasing our debt more then we can grow our way out of. We need to get serious on what we’re going to do or we risk facing a financial calamity like we’ve never seen before.
And these morons are worried about 100 million. Good grief.
lowandslow on April 20, 2009 at 7:46 PM
Somebody should have Schumer tell Gibbs, “It’s just peanuts, nobody cares about it”. Wasn’t Senator Schumer talking about 200 Million?
HarryStar on April 20, 2009 at 7:47 PM
Polishing turds would be much easier and more productive.
jdkchem on April 20, 2009 at 7:48 PM
Easy now, you’re talking about the President!
jdkchem on April 20, 2009 at 7:50 PM
Those right wing extremists learned a lesson this past week that they will never forget. We slaughtered them and will continue to slaughter them.
- Baghdad Gibbs
MB4 on April 20, 2009 at 7:51 PM
That clip made me “innumerably happy”. ;-)
KS Rex on April 20, 2009 at 7:55 PM
“Me..and..and the administration would be innumerably happy…”
WTF does that mean? Innumerably happy? And this is the official spokesbot for the White House?
Bishop on April 20, 2009 at 7:55 PM
Oh gosh, how I miss Tony, the best there ever was. This man is a joke, but it isn’t a surprise with the bho bunch.
L
letget on April 20, 2009 at 7:56 PM
KS Rex:
High five.
O-^-O
Bishop on April 20, 2009 at 7:56 PM
More of one of those squish bunnies that say the same 20 things over and over
blatantblue on April 20, 2009 at 7:56 PM
Bishop: Great minds… LOL
KS Rex on April 20, 2009 at 7:56 PM
HAHAHAHAHAHA. You must not have met Sarah Palin. She is so stupid, she can’t even name a newspaper that she reads.
The Wall
deidre on April 20, 2009 at 7:57 PM
Those traitorous scum tea baggers didn’t have much of a turnout at all. Don’t believe them. They said they had hundreds of thousands at their rallies. They said they were not paid to be there. They claim that they – I tell you, I… that they had 250,000 turn out, that is just too far from the reality as to be completely hysterical. It is a part of this sickness of their evil plan. Even the biggest rally which was in Texas only had 3 people show up and 2 of them thought they were going shopping at a Wal-Mart.
- Baghdad Gibbs
MB4 on April 20, 2009 at 7:57 PM
+ 19198348024045802483593509824209458
blatantblue on April 20, 2009 at 7:59 PM
Your share of the deficit for 2009. $6000
Your savings today. 30¢ .
Excellent.
lorien1973 on April 20, 2009 at 7:59 PM
More of one of those squish bunnies that say the same 20 things over and over
blatantblue on April 20, 2009 at 7:56 PM
If you were around back then, Gibbs is the 21st century version of the Keenan Ivory Wayan’s janitor, spouting off as many big words as possible without having a clue what he’s saying.
Bishop on April 20, 2009 at 7:59 PM
Now, see, this puzzled me when I heard it this afternoon.
I work for the Federal government. I don’t use many traditional “office supplies”, but the ones I do use are generally received in bulk packages, manufactured by Skillcraft or a Lighthouse for the Blind subsidiary. So, I thought we already bought our office supplies in bulk. So, I don’t see where DHS is making any big sacrifice.
uncivilized on April 20, 2009 at 8:00 PM
I especially liked how most of the savings is over a 15 year period (the lease).
lorien1973 on April 20, 2009 at 8:00 PM
It’s like getting a $5 coupon off the purchase of a house. Um yeah, I sounds like a good deal to me.
If every government employee picked up the change in their sofa I’d bet they could come up with more money.
Scrappy on April 20, 2009 at 8:03 PM
Yes.
Sacrifices must be made, right Obammy? In our home, we are following Dear Leader’s exemplary cost cutting.
Since our net retirement worth has been reduced by one third, my husband and I had a big “come to Jesus” meeting last night where we had to figure out how to cut back. Tearfully, he will take only 2 minute showers and I have to forego hairspray forever. The dog gets generic dog biscuits now and only one a day. That will certainly save us a real pile of dough. (sarc/on)
According to this bunch, 8 billion is chump change, but 100 million is “a lot of money.” Even my 3 year old grand daughter knows that a penny, though larger than a dime, just won’t buy as much. Sorry to say many americans will see the 100 as in million and think it’s larger than 8 as in billions.
Public school is indeed a fertile political breeding ground for Dems, dontcha think? Since Obama is soooo fiscally responsible now, we can officially call off all future tea parties, right?
marybel on April 20, 2009 at 8:04 PM
Gibbs is an arrogant, ignorant boob. It amazes me that he makes it through a briefing without being pelted with eggs.
$100 million is a lot to me. $9 TRILLION is a LOT MORE. The former is a itty bitty fraction of the latter. Even I, a mathematical midget, can figure that out.
uncivilized on April 20, 2009 at 8:06 PM
I have whiplash!
Does anyone but me notice….our POTUS knows the cameras are on him, but never looks America in the eye?
seesalrun on April 20, 2009 at 8:09 PM
Eighty $100M
One thousand $100M [a million millions]
Tzetzes on April 20, 2009 at 8:10 PM
and who is the hot chick upper frame right that has that smug look on her face? Inquiring minds like mine want to know.
seesalrun on April 20, 2009 at 8:12 PM
Like spending $900 too much on something but getting a penny rebate back, maybe. Such a deal! This Obama guy could sell refrigerators to Eskimos without electricity.
MB4 on April 20, 2009 at 8:12 PM
The silence of our resident Leftists on this thread (so far) confirms AP’s theory.
Del Dolemonte on April 20, 2009 at 8:12 PM
Way back in the long ago, overseas, things in our base were getting a bit ragged…our boss got together with the admin folks and after lobbying for several months, and finally getting a bunch of money from Hqs, decided that he’d redecorate and bring our office spaces up a few levels of comfort. Admin showed him the GSA catalog…and he said this was “army stuff,” he wanted real furniture. And so the great discussion between our boss and Hqs began.
While this was going on, I went over to a nearby Army Brigade and talked one of their supply officers into “loaning” me a field desk, a field table and a couple folding field chairs. Took them back to my office and set them up.
One of the few times I came real close to being sent home and perhaps fired…really p’d off the boss.
In the meantime…he got his way…thousands of dollars in couches, new desks, lamps, carpets, and everything else, a $4k conference table, I remember that one…couldn’t get it in the building without taking it all apart first…but none of it GSA or standard government issue. Not one bit.
I miss that old field desk…
Moral of the story? Once you get above the tree line in Washington, DC…nothing, nothing, from staplers to table lamps to copy paper is standard GSA issue. That stuff is for the underlings…and in this case, seems the underlings will be carrying the brunt of all this pseudo-cut backs stuff…yet again.
coldwarrior on April 20, 2009 at 8:13 PM
I can only shake my head.
On the other hand, it’s a great thing that these stuffwads are so badly underestimating the intelligence of the American people. Nobody, but nobody (well, maybe notaclue) is going to see this as anything but a risible, lame, and cynical effort to create the opportunity for Oboingo and “Downie” Gibbs to brand its detractors as “against cutting government spending”.
There was another thread that compared Obama’s foreign policy to a Jethro Tull song. I compare this (and Gibbs) to a Devo song.
mr.blacksheep on April 20, 2009 at 8:14 PM
At some point, the White House Press Corps just needs to, en masse, start laughing at Gibbs. I don’t mean polite girly-man sniffly giggles, I mean some down home hoots, hollers, and rolling in the aisles uncontrollable guffawing.
Gibbs glibly and without any pretense of embarrassment, talks out of both sides of his mouth. His prevarications and evasions are actually hilarious and amply deserve a huge round of robust, uninhibited belly laughter.
marybel on April 20, 2009 at 8:15 PM
So, a Sam’s Club membership would have prevented all this debt?
Where were these economic geniuses before today?
lorien1973 on April 20, 2009 at 8:15 PM
D’oh! That should’ve been (unless my humanities major math is wrong again) $1T = ten thousand $100M’s (ten thousand times Gibb’s big money). Is that right?
Tzetzes on April 20, 2009 at 8:17 PM
Obligatory Video: Obama / Dr. Evil mash-up
Cuffy Meigs on April 20, 2009 at 8:20 PM
Uh.bomb.uh told us during the campaign that he was going to use a scalpel on spending. It looks like he successfully made his first incision. Too bad it didn’t even break the skin.
gregbert on April 20, 2009 at 8:20 PM
Yeah, that’s the ticket.
No wonder Obama can’t figure out why there’s a “confidence gap” with American taxpayers when he’s coming up with genius solutions like this.
cruadin on April 20, 2009 at 8:21 PM
LOL I’m dying
and bashing my head because gibbs is so dumb
blatantblue on April 20, 2009 at 8:22 PM
Pizza and generic Coke for everyone!!!!
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on April 20, 2009 at 8:24 PM
and who is the hot chick upper frame right that has that smug look on her face? Inquiring minds like mine want to know.
seesalrun on April 20, 2009 at 8:12 PM
The one with her shirt open right to the edge of acceptable decorum?
She’s waiting for the Big Man to turn around and notice.
Bishop on April 20, 2009 at 8:25 PM
Instead of increasing the budget $700 Billion, he is now only going to increase it $699.9 Billion now.
So what does the headlines read? He is CUTTING it and what is sad is how the media is doing these PR releases for him on it.
JeffinSac on April 20, 2009 at 8:26 PM
sesquipedalian–adjective Also, ses⋅quip⋅e⋅dal /sɛsˈkwɪpɪdl/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [ses-kwip-i-dl] Show IPA . 1. given to using long words.
The handle fits one of our trolls
thomasaur on April 20, 2009 at 8:26 PM
Limiting every Democrat politician to what they can collect in bribes and steal from the Treasury, would really make a dent in the budget deficit.
And the wealthiest of the wealthy, Democrat scum thieves, would only have to give up a small portion of their huge incomes.
It’s a win-win.
Ask your Democrat – please live only on what you can steal, sir and forgo your (comparatively) paltry salary.
NoDonkey on April 20, 2009 at 8:26 PM
And where is any kind of Republican leadership to respond to this?? It’s like shooting fish in a barrel, and yet, the Repubs still can’t make hay from the actions of this pathetic administration.
gregbert on April 20, 2009 at 8:26 PM
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