(Washington, D.C.) – The nation’s premier taxpayer watchdog group, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), today urged President Obama to use tonight’s State of the Union address to signal a major policy shift, away from rampant government spending, bailouts, and takeovers, toward spending restraint, eliminating wasteful spending and in favor of free market, private sector solutions to the nation’s fiscal woes.  As the first organization to issue a list of pork barrel earmarks in its 1991 Congressional Pig Book, CAGW was very pleased to hear that President Obama will announce his support for a ban on earmarks and a four-year freeze on non-defense discretionary spending. 

Last year, CAGW reacted with cautious optimism when the President promised to cut 126 programs to save $23 billion in one year and $240 billion over 10 years.  Instead of proceeding with the painstaking work of bringing government spending under control, the administration and its congressional allies embarked on an irresponsible spending spree that has increased the national debt by $2 trillion in one year with little to show for it in terms of job growth and economic expansion. 

“The ground has shifted,” said CAGW President Tom Schatz.  “The President’s policies over the last 24 months have been decidedly anti-business and anti-taxpayer.  He and his team have ushered in a massive expansion of government spending and intrusion and exacerbated contractions in the private sector.  Taxpayers reacted negatively to his policies in November and he is now facing stiff opposition.  President Obama has a stark choice; he can continue to drive policies that damage the economy and make the nation less competitive, and in the process become a political bystander for the remainder of his term, or, as he has repeatedly promised, he can finally pivot back toward a more rational federal spending policy.  The four-year spending freeze and the ban on earmarks, which should be permanent and enforced with vetoes, are important steps in the right direction.”    

CAGW unveiled its striking and controversial “Chinese Professor” ad campaign in October, 2010 and has continued to air the ad on television in the days running up to the State of the Union, drawing attention to the dire potential consequences of the national debt.  The organization aims to keep the President and Congress focused on the national debt and out-of-control federal. 

“The 112^th Congress will be one of the most important in years,” said Schatz.  “The outcome will determine whether this country will regain its fiscal sovereignty and national purpose or languish in the economic doldrums for years to come.  CAGW’s 2010 Prime Cuts, which has been published annually since 1993, features 763 recommendations that would save $350 billion in one year and $2.2 trillion over five years.  We encourage the administration and Congress to immediately review this list and restore fiscal restraint to the federal budget.”

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement and abuse in government.