Obama's fellow Democrats and Republicans in Congress have been debating how to best narrow the budget shortfall, with Republicans dismissing Democratic plans as far too timid to deal with a deficit projected to hit a record $1.65 trillion this year.
Obama said he was open to more spending cuts, but drew the line at slashing programs in a way that would be a risk to his top priorities -- investment in technological development, education and infrastructure.
"Getting our fiscal house in order can't just be something we use as cover to do away with things we dislike politically. And it can't just be about how much we cut. It's got to be about how we cut and how we invest," Obama said in his weekly radio address, recorded at a Miami high school where he spoke on Friday about the importance of funding for education.
Some Republicans have pushed to cut funding for public broadcasters, criticized by some conservatives as too liberal, or Planned Parenthood family planning centers, which also provide abortions.
HOW TO CREATE JOBS
Republicans have made spending cuts their top priority since Tea Party-aligned conservatives helped them win control of the House of Representatives in November.
They say their proposed reductions are essential to trim a dangerous shortfall.
"It (Obama's budget) continues out-of-control spending, it adds to our $14 trillion debt and it adds to the uncertainty that makes it harder to create jobs," Representative Diane Black said in the Republicans' weekly radio address.
"Maintaining the status quo -- and refusing to offer a credible plan to cut spending -- is just unacceptable and inexcusable," Black said.
Obama praised Democrats and Republicans in Congress for agreeing on a two-week spending bill that averted a government shutdown, but said legislators have to come up with a long-term spending plan.
"We can't do business two weeks at a time. It's not responsible, and it threatens the progress our economy has been making. We've got to keep that momentum going," he said.
Vice President Joe Biden met with top Republican and Democratic congressional leaders on Thursday in an opening round of White House-led budget talks.
Obama also cited an encouraging monthly unemployment report released on Friday as evidence that his economic programs, including a tax relief plan supported by both Republicans and Democrats, were working.
The U.S. jobless rate slipped to a nearly two-year low of 8.9 percent in February, showing the economy is finally kicking into a higher gear as private employers hired 222,000 workers, the most since April.
But Obama said more had to be done. "Our top priority right now has to be creating new jobs and opportunities in a fiercely competitive world," Obama said.
*It's always good to recognize when you have a President whose trying to stick to his agenda. Looking at the outlook on jobs, it's still bleek and not enough. Looking at the outlook on education, it's still in the toilet and the worse of the worse. Looking at the outlook on technology, well, that's growing like wild flowers! Looking at the outlook on the federal deficit, well, that's growing like a dead person's hair!
Understanding what has to be done to bring the deficit down is very complicated. The democrats and Republicans will not have a solution in a month. "IT TAKES TIME!"
Seeing the jobless rate slip isn't the whole story. You still have millions of people out of work, and hungry. You still have millions of people pissed off because of layoffs and other under-handed mess going on. You still have Americans worried about their financial outlooks period.
All in all, when it comes to the budget and spending in gov't, it's their responsibility to see it through, but in the right way possible. Not in the way of just the republicans or the democrats, but for the greater good of the American People!
Diva's Nation
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