Yesterday Barack Obama proposed that Congress give him the authority to merge six separate agencies related to commerce, in move sure to confound Republicans. Although nobody will be fired, this will eliminate 1,000 federal jobs by attrition, save $3 billion, eliminate duplication of effort, and provide one-stop access for business. In theory, this should be a Republican wet dream, except for one thing. They hate Barack Obama more than they like their own policies.
President Obama will ask Congress on Friday for the power to consolidate parts of the federal government, proposing a first step of combining several trade- and commerce-related agencies under a plan that the White House said could eliminate more than 1,000 jobs and save $3 billion over 10 years.
A senior administration official said the White House proposal is Obama’s follow-through on his promise during last year’s State of the Union address to create a leaner, more efficient bureaucracy.
But the move also comes at a politically opportune moment, as the president heads into his re-election campaign and aims to blunt Republican criticism that his policies have stunted business growth and bloated the federal budget at a time of ballooning debt…
Congressional Republicans scoffed at the relatively small scale of Obama’s proposal, saying many more cutbacks are needed to tame the deficit.
…Obama will propose combining the functions and staff of six trade- and commerce-related agencies and offices: the Small Business Administration; the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative; the Export-Import Bank; the Overseas Private Investment Corporation; and the Trade and Development Agency. The move would ease the regulatory burden on businesses and save money by eliminating duplicative functions such as human resources, the White House official said… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <Washington Post>
Here is the video of Obama’s speech.
Rachel Maddow covers this and expands it into other areas, in which Republicans are contradicting themselves, just to oppose Obama. In addition, she interviews Ezra Klein.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
What hypocrites Republicans are!
My best estimate is that, since this is good for America, Republicans will hold it hostage and attempt to negotiate something bad for America, such as piling more hardship on the poor, in return.
15 Responses to “Obama Proposes to Increase Efficiency”
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Let the Rushpubliscums and their MSM allies continue to harp on the deffy-cit. It should work out really well for them come November.
May you be prophetic.
another small acquiesce to the GOP – a hand across the aisle as it were – I’m voting Justice party in November at this point – it’s very difficult to vote for either of the 2 major scams masquerading as a political bases for the people so let them both tweak the government as they will – they’re not winning my vote! (just came in: another person died in Gitmo)
Lee, you missed the point completely. This is neither acquiescence nor a hand across the aisle. There is an infinite gulf between what Republicans SAY they support and what they actually DO support. Obama has done something that they SAY they support, and now we get to sit back and watch them oppose it, exposing their own hypocrisy.
The Republicans appreciate your support.
Yes They hate Barack Obama more than like there own policies. So true TC From the top on down to Ron Paul making shrinking Government.While making it look like Obama wants to grow it. LOL LOL I love the way Obama turns it around to expose the republians/tea party.
Election yr you bet and the republians are using every trick in the book and more to get rid of the one man that is making them look in the mirrow to show the American people see what has been right in front of our eyes for yrs. Because it was Obama that said it was about making a government that works for us. Not about one to get rid of. Without Government people like Ron Paul,Santorum,Perry,hunsman,Romney and ofcoruse the ones in congress and the main cheese McConnel would have (Well I will leave up the reat of that thought for you) Ron Paul the racist What better party better than the Republians to be on? Is he not the anti war guy? One question if he so anti war WHY would he be a republian?
Mama, they are willing to partially accept him for his racism and opposition to human rights. That’s far better than he could do with Democrats.
Every obstructionist Republican in office is one Republican too many. Yhese bastards need to be driven from office and fined for every single day they have obstructed legislation.
Jack– you do say it so well– !! Have not a thing to add!
Jack, I wish I could find a legal basis for such fines to be levied.
Obama takes another republican issue away from them.
It was never theirs. They just had people fooled into thinking it was.
Through much of my career, I was tasked with looking for efficiencies in systems, organisation, processes etc. It isn’t easy but it is necessary. I think this particular one is great, and I suspect there are more lined up that will equally make sense. This should be a no brainer but my guess is that Republican/Teabaggers will stop it because 1) they want to make Mr Obama a one term president above all else; 2) they will bring up the cost to make the changes and say it is just too expensive. They will likely say something like “Why didn’t you propose this earlier?” I have an answer — priorities. This proposal can only benefit the corporations etc as well as small business, but I’ll guess the Republican/Teabaggers will kill it like everything else they do.
Lynn, this does not really help major corporations. The difficulties small business have in navigating excessive bureaucracy serves as a barrier to entry to them. Big corporations are not troubled, because they have the legal staff to navigate that small businesses do not..
They will undoubtedly obstruct this too in their efforts to see Obama fail.
That’s my expectation.