Orszag Leaving as Budget Director

[kpete]

Source: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/21/orszag-leaving-as-budget-director/

June 21, 2010, 9:49 pm
Orszag Leaving as Budget Director
By JACKIE CALMES

Peter R. Orszag will leave his job as the White House budget director in July, according to someone familiar with his plans, making him perhaps the first official to leave the Obama Cabinet and removing a major player from President Obama’s economic team.

Mr. Orszag, an economist who previously spent nearly two years as director of the Congressional Budget Office, somewhat reluctantly accepted Mr. Obama’s invitation to join the Cabinet after the 2008 election and never planned to stay more than two years. Typically, budget directors do not.

While the president recently urged Mr. Orszag to remain, the calendar for drafting the next budget weighed in favor of Mr. Orszag leaving sooner. So did Mr. Orszag’s personal calendar: He is getting married in September.

By fall, as Congress is taking final action on the budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, the Office of Management and Budget is busy preparing the next year’s budget request to be released next February. Mr. Orszag argued inside the White House that his successor should be in place to put the next budget together from the start.

Read more: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/21/orszag-leaving-as-budget-director/

[TomCADem]

1. Too Bad. He Seemed Like A Good Numbers Guy With CBO Experience

You really need someone who is not really on the policy side who can give you an analysis of the numbers who has a good handle on how the CBO scores proposals. Otherwise, you will get burned if the CBO score comes up higher than you anticipated. D.C. is filled with policy people, but it is tough to find someone who break down the actual budget impact of a policy.

[O is 44]

4. I'm a bit bummed as well, he always came off as

knowing his numbers. I found him very impressive in interviews and various discussions he has held over the past year and a half.

[lib2DaBone]

2. Good. Buh Bye.. don't let the door hit you...

Says his mentors are Jos Stiglitz and Robert Rubin... both Goldman Sachs, Free Traders, World Bankers...

[amandabeech]

7. Rubin's a creep.

Stiglitz is a little more interesting, and sometimes is capable of thinking critically of what's going on.

Rubin's useless.

I hope that Orsasg (sp) is not replaced by someone from a hedge fund or one of the bailed out former investment banks. Like Goldman.

[KoKo]

3. Thank Goodness! His personal life was a disaster and his policy was to dismantle Social Security!

Good Riddance. Except maybe he'd already done his work and it was time to move over to make big bucks at Goldman-Sachs or a Hedge Fund...or maybe a Prized Think Tank!

[TomCADem]

5. I Seem To Recall That He Wanted To Preserve Social Security, Not Abolish It Like Rand Paul Or...

Sharron Angle.

Please explain.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[KoKo]

11. Got some posts of mine to back up your accusations? Bet Not...

I'm amazed you are so defensive that you'd make up something like this post. LOL's

[Psephos]

6. I believe the poodle on his head was weakening his neck and making him lose concentration. n/t

[Hell Hath No Fury]

8. One of the worst rugs EVAH!

:scary: Why hasn't one of his close friends sat him down and had an honest talk with him. :(

[SlipperySlope]

10. They don't need a budget director - budget has been cancelled this year

I'm sure the two are connected but I don't understand how. Anyway, I just read on CBS news that they won't pass a formal budget this year. All very strange to me.

[Yupster]

12. That's what I thought too

Since they decided not even to try to pass a budget, then who needs a budget director.