Obama's big budget, and deficit
What President Obama's first budget says about his administration's plans
What happened
President Obama unveiled his first budget on Thursday, proposing a radical change of course that would begin paying for new spending on health and education by raising taxes on the rich and slashing farm subsidies. The spending plan would hike the deficit Obama inherited for the current fiscal year from $1 trillion to $1.7 trillion. (The New York Times)
What the commentators said
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Obama says his gigantic budget "reflects 'hard choices,'" said John Hinderaker in Power Line, "but of course that is silly. The administration has made no hard choices at all." It just "opened the floodgates and spent money in nearly every possible way, to the tune of $3.7 trillion, an amount that would have been unimaginable just a few years ago."
Obama has promised to cut the deficit in half by the end of his first term, said Brian Blackstone in The Wall Street Journal. But the math only adds up if you believe the "rosy scenario" the administration uses to predict where unemployment and inflation are headed. The White House sees domestic product growth bouncing back to 3.2 percent next year—helpful for tax revenue, but unlikely.
"Republicans will call it big-spending," said Andrew Leonard in Salon. "They will be correct." As the Journal notes, a $1.75 trillion deficit represents a "whopping" 12.3 percent of GDP, which hasn't happened since World War II. But now it's clear that any progressive who still thinks Obama "is aiming too low or hewing too close to the middle needs to seriously consider some aggressive psychotherapy."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Trump's actions cut a wide swath across Hawaii's economy
In Depth The state's tourism and farming sectors are two of the largest hit industries
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
5 immersive books to read this April for a brief escape
The Week Recommends A dystopian tale takes us to the library, a journalist's ode to her refugee parents and more
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
'The winners and losers of AI may not be where we expect'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?
In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
By The Week Staff Published
-
'Seriously, not literally': how should the world take Donald Trump?
Today's big question White House rhetoric and reality look likely to become increasingly blurred
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will Trump's 'madman' strategy pay off?
Today's Big Question Incoming US president likes to seem unpredictable but, this time round, world leaders could be wise to his playbook
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Democrats vs. Republicans: who are the billionaires backing?
The Explainer Younger tech titans join 'boys' club throwing money and support' behind President Trump, while older plutocrats quietly rebuke new administration
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
US election: where things stand with one week to go
The Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is Trump okay?
Today's Big Question Former president's mental fitness and alleged cognitive decline firmly back in the spotlight after 'bizarre' town hall event
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The life and times of Kamala Harris
The Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?
By The Week UK Published
-
Will 'weirdly civil' VP debate move dial in US election?
Today's Big Question 'Diametrically opposed' candidates showed 'a lot of commonality' on some issues, but offered competing visions for America's future and democracy
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published