Ogsbury puts out balanced budget proposal

Jim Ogsbury, the former Congressional aide and lobbyist running for the Republican nomination in the 5th Congressional District, has put out a proposal to balance the nation's budget. The detailed report proposes to eliminate government programs through cuts in discretionaray spending, which he estimates will save taxpayers over $1 trillion over the course of five years.

"My budget will dramatically cut non-essential spending and provide tax relief to all Americans,” said Ogsbury in the statement announcing the plan.

"One of the most important responsibilities of Congress is to formulate a federal budget," he continued. "In sharp contrast to the incumbent, who has voted against every budget presented to him, and who refuses to offer a budget plan of his own, I am releasing my budget for scrutiny by the people of the Fifth District,” said Ogsbury.

The cuts are largely based around programs he terms "New Deal-era dinosaurs" and farm subsidies, and a 5% reduction in the civilian federal workforce. There is also a blanket reduction in discretionary spending that amounts to nearly $700 billion over five years. Overall, Ogsbury claims his cuts will amount to $1.37 trillion based on his numbers.

Ogsbury is running largely on his experience as the staff director to the House Appropriations Committee's Subcomitte on Energy and Water Development, where his campaign says he "helped realize cumulative savings exceeding $8.4 billion in domestic discretionary spending."

To balance the budget by 2011 as he said would occur under his plan, he proposed to eliminate 4,770 jobs in the federal government, and reduce funding for public broadcasting, community development block grants, programs for Alaskan and Hawaiian natives and earmark reform, which could eliminate more programs.

"Big spenders will howl that my budget is harsh, heartless and draconian," Ogsbury said in the statement. "I don’t think it’s heartless, however, to save our economy from collapse and to lift the burden of debt from future generations."