Budgeting has never been at the top of President Obama’s list of priorities. For the fourth time in five years, the White House missed the statutory deadline Monday for submitting its annual spending blueprint to Congress. Mr. Obama isn’t in a rush to let the world know that his intention is to keep spending the country into the red.
The House hopes to change that on Wednesday. The lower chamber will vote on a bill insisting the president submit a budget that comes into balance within 10 years. Should he fail to comply, he would have to submit a supplemental budget by April 1 identifying the exact year when his ledgers would even out.
Rep. Tom Price, the bill’s sponsor and Budget Committee vice chairman, thinks this will encourage responsibility.
"President Obama has overseen record deficits of more than $1 trillion each year he’s been in office, adding nearly $6 trillion in national debt onto the backs of our children and grandchildren,” the Georgia Republican told The Washington Times. “It’s time for the White House to get serious about the enormous fiscal challenges facing our nation, and that begins with putting ‘pen to paper’ on a federal budget that actually comes into balance.”
House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, Wisconsin Republican, reviewed presidential budget submissions since 1923 and concluded Mr. Obama has missed more budget deadlines than any other president. He also holds the record for the longest delay (98 days in 2009).
White House spokesman Jay Carney was ready with excuses for his boss on Monday. He explained the president puts forth budgets that are “balanced deficit reductions” — i.e., tax hikes — that have the “overwhelming support” of the public. Mr. Carney blamed the House for submitting a “highly partisan budget that has no support among the American public.”
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