Obama scolds Congress: 'I will not sign another short-sighted spending bill'

President Obama has had just about enough of Congress' short-term spending bills. At a Friday afternoon press conference, Obama said that although he signed a temporary budget bill into law this week, keeping the government funded through Dec. 11, when this deal expires he will "not sign another short-sighted spending bill."
"It's not how we're supposed to operate," Obama said, adding that Friday's middling report on job creation would have been better if "we didn't have to keep dealing with unnecessary crises in Congress every few months." While GOP-driven spending cuts have been an issue in Washington for years, in this particular crisis, a conservative faction of Congress threatened to block any new budget bill unless federal funding was yanked from Planned Parenthood. In the end, Congress passed a stopgap bill to keep the government open.
"We can't cut our way to prosperity," Obama said. "Other countries have tried it and it does not work."
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.
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
-
Tariffs were supposed to drive inflation. Why hasn’t that happened?
Talking Points Businesses' planning ahead helped. But uncertainty still looms.
-
How can you find a financial adviser you trust?
the explainer Four ways to detect professionals who will act in your best interest
-
8 gifts for the host that does the most
The Week Recommends Show your appreciation with a thoughtful present
-
Supreme Court weighs court limits amid birthright ban
speed read President Trump's bid to abolish birthright citizenship has sparked questions among federal judges about blocking administration policies
-
Gabbard fires intelligence chiefs after Venezuela report
speed read Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has fired the top two officials leading the National Intelligence Council
-
Trump vows to lift Syria sanctions
speed read The move would help the new government stabilize the country following years of civil war
-
Senate rejects Trump's Library of Congress takeover
speed read Congress resisted the president's attempts to control 'the legislative branch's premier research body'
-
Hamas frees US hostage in deal sidelining Israel
speed read Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old soldier, was the final living US citizen held by the militant group
-
White Afrikaners land in US as Trump-declared refugees
speed read An exception was made to Trump's near-total ban on admitting refugees for the white South Africans
-
Qatar luxury jet gift clouds Trump trip to Mideast
speed read Qatar is said to be presenting Trump with a $400 million plane, which would be among the biggest foreign gifts ever received by the US government
-
Trump taps Fox News' Pirro for DC attorney post
speed read The president has named Fox News host Jeanine Pirro to be the top federal prosecutor for Washington, replacing acting US Attorney Ed Martin