This quote just in

"I am not a Democrat who believes that we can or should defend every government program just because it's there," Obama said at a rally in Green Bay. "We will fire government managers who aren't getting results, we will cut funding for programs that are wasting your money and we will use technology and lessons from the private sector to improve efficiency across every level of government."

I am an advocate for

Automated transit
Distance education
New technology for the public sector in general

This is right sizing, doing more with less, call it what you will. It should be familiar to most of you.

Congratulations, Mr. Obama.
We will make a centrist out of you yet.

Comments: 7

Beth G. Sep 22, 2008, 9:09pm EDT

lol very true, it reminds me of the movie Dave, where Dave's buddy was like, if I ran my business the way the government ran theirs I'd be in jail! We all have to make do with less, too bad that is lost on some people. Thanks for sharing Tim!

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Soozan & The Pookah S. Sep 22, 2008, 10:00pm EDT

Thanks for a great article. BUT, respectfully, I wish that Senator Obama's voting record would match his rhetoric! He never met a governmental program or a proposed earmark that he did not like.
I am not a Point Pig, but if you have the time, take a look at my post entitled "Get the Facts#3: Taxers = 97 vs. Tax Payers = 3." It includes an analysis of each Candidates voting record.

Thanks again.

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Tad W. Sep 22, 2008, 10:02pm EDT

Talk is cheap. When it comes to wrangling with Congress and lobbyists and campaign donors to actually cut funding on some program, we'll see how much fortitude Pres. Obama has.

Pres. Bush talked about cutting government too. He's instead presided over the largest increase in the size of government in HISTORY.

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Shari F. Sep 22, 2008, 10:26pm EDT

I don't think the next president will have much choice if these bail outs go through. There just won't be very much money to work with and cutting will be a necessity. Either way, Obama is the one I would rather have making these decisions for many reasons I won't get into here.

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Tim Nelson Sep 23, 2008, 8:58am EDT

Republicans have always said they will reduce the size of government by cutting people, and adding efficiency. They never say new technology is the means to that end, even though most people are familiar with that happening in real life.

Soozan,

As a centrist, I will update any attempts by either party to pander to my partisan base, the middle. This is the season for bribing my group, and I am glad to see the first payment.

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Tim Nelson Sep 23, 2008, 9:13am EDT

Why am I the only one covering this?

Could it be because if Obama had said this during the fight with Hillary, that the base would have turned on him? I think the base, in their heart of hearts, knew that unions, pensions, and the job security of the public sector was going down like a house of cards, but continue to be in a state of denial.

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Stephanie B. Sep 23, 2008, 1:04pm EDT

Good for him. Makes perfect sense. But it's nothing I haven't heard from just about every other politician on either side. Hopefully he can deliver.

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This quote just in

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