In final White House budget, Obama proposes record $4.1 trillion spending plan

Politics

In final White House budget, Obama proposes record $4.1 trillion spending plan

President Obama sent Congress his final budget on Tuesday, proposing to spend a record $4.1 trillion on a number of initiatives, from a new war on cancer to combating global warming to fighting growing threats from Islamic State group militants. The spending plan for the budget year that begins Oct. 1 — just 3½ months before he leaves office — is dead on arrival in Congress, but could shape the 2016 White House race.

While politics may have doomed this budget, it provides Obama with one of his few remaining opportunities to fashion national and Democratic party priorities. Indeed, the plan might have its biggest impact on the campaign trail, where Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders — locked in a tougher-than-expected battle for the Democratic nomination — will no doubt look to embrace its priorities. The budget also provides Obama an opportunity to draw sharp contrasts with Republicans as the November general election looms, though Republicans appeared happy enough to draw their own contrasts.