In a scene straight out of the movie Dave, President Obama held his first cabinet meeting yesterday and challenged his cabinet secretaries to cut $100 million in 90 days.  It was of course meant to show that the president is trying to get government spending under control. 

Afterwards he said, “I’m asking for all of them to identify at least $100 million in additional cuts to their administrative budgets.  None of these things alone are going to make a difference, but cumulatively, they would make an extraordinary difference because they start setting a tone.”

In the movie it was a great moment and made for great theatre.  What about in reality?  What did this really accomplish? 

$100 million?  Are you kidding me?  That is the amount taxpayers will be paying PER DAY for the next 10 years just for the so-called stimulus Congress and the president passed.  As the Associated Press pointed out, that is the equivalent of asking a family that spends $60,000 a year to save $6.00.  What a joke.

AP further points out what that $100 million is equal to:

• Less than one-quarter of the budget increase that Congress awarded to itself.
• 4 percent of the military aid the United States sends to Israel.
• Less than half the cost of one F-22 fighter plane.
• 7 percent of the federal subsidy for the money-losing Amtrak passenger rail system.
• 1/10,000th of the government’s operating budgets for Cabinet agencies, excluding the Iraq and Afghan wars and the stimulus bill.

Of course the White House press office is quick to point out that the effort is a very important and symbolic gesture.  Well, Mr. President, symbols won’t get the country out of the financial crisis we are in nor do they do a thing to save taxpayers money.  Take some real action. 

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs was called to the carpet on this useless measure by a couple of reporters including ABC’s Jake Tapper.  Tapper pointed out that Gibbs had laughed off the $8 billion in earmarks Congress put in the budget and wondered how we were now supposed to see $100 million as a significant number.  Gibbs of course did not care too much to have “The One” questioned as you see in the video below.

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