Springtime in Washington

Springtime in Washington

No matter the temperature outside, I know spring has arrived in Washington when the federal budget comes out.

The ink from the government printing office still wet, fat budget books are delivered to Capitol Hill as the deficit hawks prepare their ear-splitting diatribes.

On Monday, Barack Obama, the US president, proposed a $3.7 trillion budget for 2012. It includes no sweeping policy reforms and no new priorities we haven't heard before. 

Included in the proposed budget is increased spending for research and development and cuts to a number of programmes – including defence, foreign aid, and low income energy assistance.

After unveiling the budget, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, Jack Lew, said: "The budget that we sent to Congress today is a responsible plan that shows that we can live within our means and we can also invest in the future."

But as sure as blossoms in spring, the proposed cuts to social programmes have angered Democrats. 

And as certain as bears waking up from hibernation, Republicans decried that there weren't more spending cuts. 
Republican speaker of the House John Boehner tweeted: "President's budget will destroy jobs by spending too much, taxing too much and borrowing too much."

In addition to spending cuts and targeted investment, administration officials say reducing the deficit is also in their sights. 

If the White House proposal is enacted, the projected budget deficit in 2012 will be $1.1 trillion, down from $1.6 trillion this year. 

The key figure for all politicians, and the one most Americans are concerned about, is the unemployment rate. 

The White House's top economic adviser predicted unemployment will drop to 8.2 per cent from where its current nine per cent.

Obama unveiled his budget while speaking at a school in Maryland to highlight education spending. 

He said: "Even as we cut out things that we can afford to do without, we have a responsibility to invest in those areas that will have the biggest impact in our future - and that's especially true when it comes to education."

But while the White House is focused on about spending priorities next year, Congress still hasn't decided on a budget for this year. 

Congress has passed a budget every year since the current rules were enacted in 1974.

Unless they pass a continuing resolution or, heaven forbid, the actual budget, the federal government will shut down on March 4.

Six weeks into the year, the House of Representatives finally takes up the issue this week. 

Congressional Republicans want to slash $100bn in spending. Hillary Clinton, the secretary of state, met with Boehner on Monday to air her concerns for the proposed budget cuts.

After their meeting, Clinton said: "The truth is that cuts of that level will be detrimental to America's national security."

As the ground thaws and the cherry blossom trees begin to sprout around the nation's capital, the annual budget fight has begun. 

And it will be a spring that's twice as bountiful as usual, since Congress has two years worth of budgets to consider.