Obama seeks power to merge agencies
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama will ask Congress on Friday for greater power to shrink the federal government, and his first idea is merging six sprawling trade and commerce agencies whose overlapping programs can be baffling to businesses, a senior administration official told The Associated Press.
Obama will call on Congress to give him a type of reorganizational power last held by a president when Ronald Reagan was in office. The Obama version would be a so-called consolidation authority allowing him to propose mergers that promise to save money and help consumers. The deal would entitle him to an up-or-down vote from Congress in 90 days.
It would be up to lawmakers, therefore, to first grant Obama this fast-track authority and then decide whether to approve any of his specific ideas.
The White House said Obama would address his proposals for government reform Friday morning. The official confirmed the details to the AP on condition of anonymity ahead of the president's event.
Associated Press an 13, 7:45 AM EST http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_TRIMMING_GOVERNMENT?SITE=TXWIC&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
valerief
(53,235 posts)That ADDED cost.
JJW
(1,416 posts)And doesn't that consolidation include the President and his administration?
Enrique
(27,461 posts)we'll come up with a reason why not later!
jwirr
(39,215 posts)also. In a universal health care system - especially a single payer system getting rid of the overhead would have been part of the savings. I suspect that there are a lot of issues this can be done with.
bluedigger
(17,077 posts)Because that isn't going anywhere with this Congress.
mac56
(17,561 posts)"There are twelve different agencies that deal with exports. There are at least five different entities that deal with housing policy. Then there's my favorite example: the Interior Department is in charge of salmon while they're in fresh water, but the Commerce Department handles them in when they're in saltwater. And I hear it gets even more complicated once they're smoked."
It's a good idea. But naturally the Party of No will find a way to render it DOA.
treestar
(82,383 posts)It can get confusing.
ehrnst
(32,640 posts)to happen under a Democratic president.
BadgerKid
(4,541 posts)Gotta appreciate the suggestion here that GOP does like waste and bigger government.
GOP ... hypocrisy.... etc.
CoffeeCat
(24,411 posts)Let's see the Republicans openly fight AGAINST making government smaller and more
efficient.
They'll look like the blazing hypocrites and fools that they truly are.
There will be nowhere to hide for the Republicans. Either they fall in line behind Obama, and work
to cut the government--or they stifle the process and by default--will be advocating for big government.
Oh! I love it!
I can't wait to see how the Republicans argue against this--and they will. No way they'll allow
a Democrat to shrink the size of the Federal government.
Mopar151
(9,965 posts)Duplication and overlap sucks up billions a year in gov't! Not to mention empire building, buck-passing, and working at cross purposes.....
Islandlife
(212 posts)It's good for the government to streamline government. As long as it is successful.
Will it be just as good for the government to streamline businesses? Shutting down Gm auto dealerships is a small start.