The Cutbacks

CBS reporter Mark Knoller is tweeting some of Obama's budget cuts:

• Just got a copy of the Budget book. Over 1370 pages. For sale at $73 at Government Printing Office bookstore. Bring a hernia belt.

• More budget cuts: eliminate funding for anthrax vaccine research. Savings: $8-million.

• Budget: would terminate production of C-17 military cargo planes: Savings: 91$ million.

• Admin. proposes to end funding for Character Education Program: Savings: $12-million.

• Budget: would terminate funding for Air Force Combat Search and Rescue Helicopter program. Savings: $144-million

• Budget: Eliminate payments to cottonproducers for cost of storage. Savings: $52-million in FY 2010.

• Obama proposes to end funding for "Even Start" early childhood educ pgrm. Savings: $66-million - but funds to be redirected to other pgms.

• WH would terminate the program to build the F-22 Raptor Fighter Aircraft. Savings: $2.9-billion.

• WH would end govt contribution to the Harry Truman Scholarship Foundation. Savings: $1-million

• A blow to neutron science. WH would cancel refurbishment of Los Alamos Neutron Science Center: Savings: 19-million.

• Star Wars takes a hit. WH to terminate "Multiple Kill Vehicle" development program for anti-missile defense. Savings:$283-million.

• If you can read this: WH to terminate National Institute for Literacy - blaming "minimal success." Savings: $6-million.

• Obama says a lot of govt money is spent inefficiently, inefficetively and in some cases - he says - it's "pretty stunning."

• Obama disputes that $17-billion in cuts is drop in the bucket. Says "even by Washington standards," it's a lot of money.

• Obama says: $17-billion taken out of discretionary non-defense budget are significant. "they mean something," he insists.

• Obama proposes to cut "unjustified tax loopholes" that benefit oil and gas companies. Savings: $26-mil over ten years but nothing next year.

• Obama terminating pgm to build fleet of new helicopters to sever as Marine One: Savings: $750 million. Will estab new pgm in 2011.

• Another blow to missile defense. Obama terminating second Airborne Laser prototype. Savings $214 million.

• Re: cancelling the presidential chopper program. Budget will still contain $85-million for terminating the new helicopter program.

• Budget victory for Sen. Harry Reid, D-NV. Obama proposes eliminating the Yucca Mountain Repository Program.for nuclear waste - in Nevada.

• You can examine the list of Obama budget cuts and terminations on the OMB website at http://bit.ly/17nnkG

Now, don't you feel safer?

Knoller probably makes better use of Twitter than any of the White House reporters.