The Obama budget

Last night at bowling I over heard people talking about Obama's budget and they were happy. They actually believed Obama when he said he was going to save more money then ever before. I tried reasoning with these people but they just weren't listening.

All presidential budgets are rife with trap doors, gimmicks, and flimflammery. This annual budget exercise is like a grand, national fish story every president gets to tell: Each administration exaggerates differently, but the basic story is the same.

That said, President Obama's $3.55 trillion budget is different in at least two significant ways. First, it will be held to a higher standard—at the insistence of the administration itself. And, second, its gimmicks are designed to make the administration look as if it is saving more, not spending less.

There is more wasteful spending and more earmarks in Obama's budget and "stimulus package" than Bush could have ever dreamed of doing. And when it came to government spending Bush was a big government spending liberal.

Let's see if Obama keeps his promise to not have any earmarks in any bill he signs. Somehow I doubt that will happen.