Okay, I have to get clear here.

[donco6]

I've read several articles and they seem to use these terms interchangeably, so I'm confused.

Is Obama proposing a real SPENDING freeze . . . the government cannot actually SPEND money they have budgeted for three years (yeah, I know, certain accounts, only $447 billion, whatever).

Or is it a BUDGET freeze, where budgets are frozen for three years, but they can still spend the money IN the budget?

They're two entirely different things.

[Ganja Ninja]

1. It can't be a budget freeze because he's not freezing military spending.

[donco6]

3. Well, now you've mixed the two things yourself.

I know the whole thing is a selective freeze of some sort - and I'm not even going to get into the military versus other operational costs debate. There are plenty of good threads on that. I'm just trying to figure out if it's a freeze on SOME spending - i.e., the government cannot issue purchase orders on budget line items that are already funded; or is it a budget freeze where their budgets cannot be raised in future years, but they can still spend what they have.

A spending freeze, IMO, is a really really bad idea.

A budget freeze - well, I'm looking at a 10% cut to my school district budget, so a freeze would sound pretty good to me.

[stray cat]

2. They will not get an increase in their budget unless spending is targeted in an area

They have the same budget and money as last year with no increase -however some cuts may also be made to specific programs

It is like you and I not getting a pay raise - who hasn't had that happen in the last 10 years?

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/01/25/obama.spending.freeze/index.html

Under the proposal, which would need to be approved by both houses of Congress, all federal discretionary spending would be frozen at its current level of $447 billion per year. Within that parameter, however, individual federal agencies would have the power to give some programs increases, while cutting money elsewhere.

[donco6]

4. Then that's NOT a spending freeze.

A spending freeze means they cannot actually SPEND any money. That's a very different thing from a budget freeze. We need to insist people be clear on the difference.

But then, I've tried for 15 years to educate people on the difference between a budget and an audit.

[stray cat]

5. Its painful - but certainly nothing like a spending freeze which brings things to a dead stop

The headlines and media and bloggers are all using incorrect terminology

[KharmaTrain]

6. Look For Cuts In Education and Infrastructure

As someone else noted, SSI and Medicare are mandated expenses and thus there won't be any cuts there (or at least I hope so). Thus looks like those favorite GOOP targets will take the hits. The sad reality is the government and country are bankrupt...putting more spending on the credit card could unleash inflation (beyond the ever-climbing prices)...and the states aren't in any position to cover the shortfall.

This Preisdent is boxed in a corner...and by his own doing. While I still think that bailing out the banks was a necessary evil to prevent a worse depression than we already have, but how the money was spent and the lack of reregulating (and Congress deserves the blame here as well) squandered a golden opportunity. Now in a vain attempt to placate the "conventional widsom", this administration is ready to pander more to the "middle". Too little too late.

But I'm gonna wait and see what cuts and freezes are being proposed before passing any judgement...however on the surface, this is like curing a cold with a baseball bat.

[timeforpeace]

7. Stuff he says tends to have different meanings to different people.