Colin Powell one of President Obamas most prominent Republican supporters expressed concern publicly for the first time Friday that the presidents ambitious blitz of costly initiatives may be enlarging the size of government and the federal debt too much.
Im 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 interview with CNNs John King. It was released by the network Friday.
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. Obamas other initiatives are important to Americans.
But he said one of the cautions that has to be given to the president - and Ive talked to some of his people about this - is that you cant have so many things on the table that you cant absorb it all.
And we cant pay for it all said Mr. Powell who was the first black man to serve as secretary of state under President George W. Bush. He was also national security adviser to President Reagan and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H.W. Bush from 1989 to 1993.
Mr. Powell who has long earned top rankings in public opinion polls was considered a possible Republican presidential candidate as early as 1996. In 2007 he donated the maximum amount allowed to Sen. John McCain the Arizona Republican who won the GOP nomination.
But less than a month before last falls general election Mr. Powell endorsed Mr. Obama over Mr. McCain providing a major boost to the Democrats campaign.
Mr. Powells latest comments reflect a growing concern which began with hard-line fiscal conservatives but is now spreading to moderates about the rate of government spending and debt under Mr. Obama and the long-term impact on the countrys 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 multitrillions of dollars and a huge huge national debt that if we dont pay for in our lifetime our kids and grandkids and great-grandchildren will have to pay for.
Mr. Obama Mr. Powell added 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 he has been in touch with Mr. Obama regularly and recently.
I dont insert myself but we stay in touch he said.
Mr. King prompted Mr. Powells comments by showing him footage of the former generals 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 he still believes what he said then but that he would put it in different terms now.
I dont like slogans anymore like limited government. Thats 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.
Colin Powell one of President Obamas most prominent Republican supporters expressed concern publicly for the first time Friday that the presidents ambitious blitz of costly initiatives may be enlarging the size of government and the federal debt too much.
Im 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 interview with CNNs John King. It was released by the network Friday.
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. Obamas other initiatives are important to Americans.
But he said one of the cautions that has to be given to the president - and Ive talked to some of his people about this - is that you cant have so many things on the table that you cant absorb it all.
And we cant pay for it all said Mr. Powell who was the first black man to serve as secretary of state under President George W. Bush. He was also national security adviser to President Reagan and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H.W. Bush from 1989 to 1993.
Mr. Powell who has long earned top rankings in public opinion polls was considered a possible Republican presidential candidate as early as 1996. In 2007 he donated the maximum amount allowed to Sen. John McCain the Arizona Republican who won the GOP nomination.
But less than a month before last falls general election Mr. Powell endorsed Mr. Obama over Mr. McCain providing a major boost to the Democrats campaign.
Mr. Powells latest comments reflect a growing concern which began with hard-line fiscal conservatives but is now spreading to moderates about the rate of government spending and debt under Mr. Obama and the long-term impact on the countrys 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 multitrillions of dollars and a huge huge national debt that if we dont pay for in our lifetime our kids and grandkids and great-grandchildren will have to pay for.
Mr. Obama Mr. Powell added 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 he has been in touch with Mr. Obama regularly and recently.
I dont insert myself but we stay in touch he said.
Mr. King prompted Mr. Powells comments by showing him footage of the former generals 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 he still believes what he said then but that he would put it in different terms now.
I dont like slogans anymore like limited government. Thats 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.
