GOP says Obama budget threatens future prosperity

March 28, 2009

By WILL LESTER, Associated Press Writer Will Lester, Associated Press Writer –

23 mins ago

WASHINGTON – Attacking President Barack Obama's grand spending plans, a GOP

lawmaker who almost joined the Democrat's Cabinet said Saturday the U.S. must

live within its means or risk its tradition of passing a more prosperous country

from one generation to the next.

" We believe you create prosperity by having an affordable government that

pursues its responsibilities without excessive costs, taxes or debt, " Sen. Judd

Gregg said in the Republican radio and Internet address.

Gregg, who accepted the job as commerce secretary but then withdrew his

nomination because of " irresolvable conflicts " with Obama's policies, has become

one of the toughest critics of Obama's handling of the economy.

" In the next five years, President Obama's budget will double the national debt.

In the next 10 years, it will triple the national debt, " said Gregg, R-N.H.

" His budget assumes the deficit will average $1 trillion every year for the next

10 years and will add well over $9 trillion in new debts to our children's

backs, " said Gregg, the top Republican on the Senate Budget Committee. " He also

is proposing the largest tax increase in history, much of it aimed at taxing

small business people who have been, over the years, the best job creators in

our economy. "

Gregg said Obama's proposals " represent an extraordinary move of our government

to the left. "

He acknowledged that Obama " is very forthright in stating that he believes that

by greatly expanding the spending, the taxing and the borrowing of our

government, this will lead us to prosperity. "

In seeking to make the GOP case, Gregg said:

_ " It is the individual American who creates prosperity and good jobs, not the

government. "

_ " We believe that you create energy independence not by sticking Americans with

a brand new national sales tax on everyone's electric bill, but by expanding the

production of American energy ... while also conserving more. "

_ " We also believe you improve everyone's health care not by nationalizing the

health care system and putting the government between you and your doctor, but

by assuring that every American has access to quality health insurance and

choices in health care. "

He said the U.S. " has an exceptional history of one generation passing on to the

next generation a more prosperous and stronger country, but that tradition is

being put at risk. "

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