calfoxwc Posted July 4, 2009 Report Share Posted July 4, 2009 Powell airs doubts on Obama agenda By Jon Ward (Contact) Originally published 11:44 a.m., July 3, 2009, updated 03:16 p.m., July 3, 2009 var addthis_pub="washingtontimes"; document.write(''); Colin Powell, one of President Obama's most prominent Republican supporters, expressed concern Friday that the president's ambitious blitz of costly initiatives may be enlarging the size of government and the federal debt too much. "I'm concerned at the number of programs that are being presented, the bills associated with these programs and the additional government that will be needed to execute them," Mr. Powell said in an excerpt of an interview with CNN's John King, released by the network Friday morning. Mr. Powell, a retired U.S. army general who rose to political prominence after a long and accomplished military career, said that health care reform and many of Mr. Obama's other initiatives are "important" to Americans. But, he said, "one of the cautions that has to be given to the president -- and I've talked to some of his people about this -- is that you can't have so many things on the table that you can't absorb it all." "And we can't pay for it all," said Mr. Powell, who was the first African-American to serve as secretary of state, under former President George W. Bush. He was also national security adviser to President Reagan, and was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H.W. Bush from 1989 to 1993. Mr. Powell was considered a possible Republican presidential candidate as early as 1996, and in 2007 he donated the maximum amount allowed to Sen. John McCain, the Arizona Republican who won the GOP primary. But less than a month before last fall's general election, Mr. Powell endorsed Mr. Obama over Mr. McCain. Mr. Powell's comments represent the growing concern that began with hard-line fiscal conservatives but is now spreading to moderates about the rate of government spending and debt under President Obama, and the long-term impact on the country's fiscal sustainability and national security. The national debt stands currently at $11.5 trillion and the deficit for the current fiscal year is projected to be close to $2 trillion. Mr. Powell expressed alarm at "budgets that are running into the multi-trillions of dollars" and "a huge, huge national debt that, if we don't pay for in our lifetime, our kids and grandkids and great-grandchildren will have to pay for it." "So, I think the president, as he moves forward with his initiatives, has to start really taking a very, very hard look at what the cost of all this is. And, how much additional bureaucracy [will] be needed to make all of this happen?" Mr. Powell said. Mr. Powell said he has been in touch with Mr. Obama regularly, including recently. "I don't insert myself. But, we stay in touch," he said. Mr. King prompted Mr. Powell's comments by showing him video archive footage of Mr. Powell's comments at the 1996 Republican Convention in San Diego, where Mr. Powell talked about his opposition to big government. "The federal government has become too large and too intrusive in our lives," Mr. Powell said then. "We can no longer afford solutions to our problems that result in more entitlements, higher taxes to pay for them, more bureaucracy to run them, and fewer results to show for it." Mr. Powell said that now that he still believes what he said then, but that he would put it in different terms now. "I don't like slogans anymore like 'limited government.' That's not the right answer. The right answer is, give me a government that works," he said. "Keep it as small as possible. Keep the tax burden on the American people as small as possible, but at the same time, have government that is solving the problems of the people." The full interview will air on CNN's "State of the Union with John King" on Sunday, July 5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legacy Fan Posted July 4, 2009 Report Share Posted July 4, 2009 What club? The ebbing tide of folks who think throwing a truckload of $$ at every problem HAS NEVER BEEN AN EFFECTIVE SOLUTION. EVER. How busy are you/ have you been? I know you're not that insulated from reality, are you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. T Posted July 5, 2009 Report Share Posted July 5, 2009 It takes a big person to come forward and say that they were wrong on their personal endorsement of Obama for president. My hats off to Mr. Powell, I believe he the general has seen the enemy and it is within. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calfoxwc Posted July 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2009 A LOT OF AMERICANS see that supporting Obumbly was a MISTAKE. Make no mistake about it. Even some of the major media who were enjoying making history, are now saying "what the hell have we done?" Big, giant, mega-oopsies. @@ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosar_For_President Posted July 5, 2009 Report Share Posted July 5, 2009 My hats off to Mr. Powell, The chances are he was bound to get something right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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