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Congressional budget analysts say Obama budget pares deficits by $1.1 trillion over decade

The Canadian PressMay 17, 2013 16:47

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's budget would trim projected federal deficits by $1.1 trillion over the coming decade, using nearly $6 in higher revenues for every $1 in reduced spending to achieve it, Congress' nonpartisan budget analyst said Friday. After four straight years of annual shortfalls exceeding $1 trillion, the Congressional Budget Office report said Obama's budget would push this year's deficit down to $669 billion. Annual shortfalls would shrink slowly to $399 billion in 2017 before rising again, the report said.

His political problems boiling in capital, Obama takes a road trip to promote a jobs agenda

The Canadian PressMay 17, 2013 04:45

BALTIMORE - President Barack Obama tried on Friday to leave behind the political battles that have overshadowed his second-term agenda, saying lawmakers should work on creating more middle-class jobs in the slowly growing economy. "Our work is not done, and our focus cannot drift," Obama said.

Obama says had no prior knowledge of tax abuses

Agence France-PresseMay 16, 2013 18:45

US President Barack Obama said Thursday he had not known about abuses by tax officials who targeted conservative groups until a report into the affair was leaked to the press last week. "I promise you this. The minute I found out about it, then my focus has been about making sure we get the thing fixed," Obama told reporters. The president spoke just a day after sacking acting Internal Revenue Service chief Steven Miller over reports that some agents had singled out groups affiliated with the ultra-conservative Tea Party and other right-wing causes.

Second appeals court finds Obama recess appointment is unconstitutional

The Canadian PressMay 16, 2013 16:45

WASHINGTON - A second federal appeals court has found that President Barack Obama exceeded his power when he bypassed the Senate to install a member to the National Labor Relations Board. The ruling by the 3rd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Philadelphia came on the same day that a Senate panel considered a slate of five nominees for full terms on the labour board. Senate Republicans said Thursday they would oppose two of the nominees — Sharon Block and Richard Griffin — because they currently sit on the board as recess appointments.

Obama, Erdogan vow to up pressure on Assad

Agence France-PresseMay 16, 2013 14:15

US President Barack Obama and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to crank up pressure on Syria's President Bashar al-Assad Thursday, but offered no concrete new measures to do so. Obama warned there was no "magic formula" to force Assad to leave power, as both the United States and Turkey want, but said he hoped a conference that Washington is organizing with Russia next month would be successful. He gave no sign that he was ready to satisfy Turkish calls for Washington to overcome its reservations about directly arming rebels fighting Assad's regime.

Obama says had no prior knowledge of tax abuses

Agence France-PresseMay 16, 2013 13:46

Obama, under pressure, tries to regain control amid trio of controversies

The Canadian PressMay 16, 2013 04:01

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is trying to halt a perception spreading among both White House opponents and allies that he has been passive and disengaged as a trio of unexpected controversies consume his second term. On Wednesday Obama released a trove of documents related to the Benghazi attack and forced out the top official at the federal tax collection agency following revelations that the it targeted conservative political groups.

Obama to meet with Treasury officials over IRS targeting of conservative groups

The Canadian PressMay 15, 2013 20:00

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama will discuss the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative groups with Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew Wednesday afternoon. White House press secretary Jay Carney says Obama expects people to be held accountable. The meeting comes in the aftermath of an investigation by a Treasury inspector general that found that the IRS, in examining applications for tax exempt status, improperly selected conservative groups for further review.

Obama fires head of US tax agency over scandal

Agence France-PresseMay 15, 2013 19:15

An angry President Barack Obama sacked the acting head of the US Internal Revenue Service on Wednesday over a fast moving scandal sparked when officials unfairly targeted conservative groups. Obama said Treasury Secretary Jack Lew had asked for and received the resignation of tax agency chief Steven Miller and promised a new system of checks and safeguards to make sure the episode was not repeated. "Given the controversy surrounding this audit, it's important to institute new leadership that can help restore confidence going forward," Obama said.

Obama vows to hold staff accountable over IRS spat

Agence France-PresseMay 15, 2013 00:30

US President Barack Obama said Tuesday that an inquiry into allegations that tax agency staff had unfairly targeted conservative groups had uncovered "intolerable and inexcusable" behavior. In a statement released by the White House amid a wave of outrage from the president's opponents, Obama said he had ordered Treasury Secretary Jack Lew to hold "those responsible for these failures accountable."