Colin Powell Cautions Obama On Big Government

WASHINGTON — Colin Powell worries that President Barack Obama is trying to tackle too many big issues at one time and he offers this advice: take a hard look at costs and consider the additional red tape that will be created.

"The right answer is, `Give me a government that works,'" the former secretary of state said in a television interview to be aired Sunday. "Keep it as small as possible," added Powell, who said he has spoken recently with Obama and stays in touch with him. Powell, a Republican, endorsed Obama last year over the GOP presidential nominee, Arizona Sen. John McCain.

Obama wants to overhaul the health care system and take on climate change while also helping the country emerge from the recession.

"I think one of the cautions that has to be given to the president _ and I've talked to some of his people about this _ is that you can't have so many things on the table that you can't absorb it all. And we can't pay for it all," Powell said.

"And I never would have believed that we would have budgets that are running into the multi-trillions of dollars, and we are amassing a huge, huge national debt that, if we don't pay for in our lifetime, our kids and grandkids and great grandchildren will have to pay for it."

It's not a new theme for Powell

He complained about the government's size and intrusiveness in his 1996 speech to the Republican National Convention. He said then that the nation no longer could afford more entitlements, higher taxes and more bureaucracy. In the interview with CNN's "State of the Union" that is to air Sunday, Powell said he hasn't changed his mind.

"Keep it as small as possible. Keep the tax burden on the American people as small as possible, but at the same time, have government that is solving the problems of the people," he said.

He said Obama "has to start really taking a very, very hard look at what the cost of all this is. And, how much additional bureaucracy and will it be effective bureaucracy."

CNN released excerpts of the interview in advance of the broadcast.

Comments

[Tackora]

Mr. Powell suggests: "Keep the tax burden on the American people as small as possible"
The problem with that fake principle is that it has been implemented by keeping the wages so low that nearly half of the working people do not pay taxes. They could not pay taxes even if they had to.

[WorkingClass]

Hey Colin. When we need somebody to go to the U.N. and tell huge lies to the whole world, we will give you a call.

[bigsexyshaq]

It's really true. He really cannot act like that didn't happen. His credibility is still chained to it, because you know, here we are.

[DemCentrist]

I like Powell.

He's just stating many of the concerns that those of us who voted for Obama have. Why attack a supporter?

[judiNJ]

If you are having concerns now, then you were not listening to him during his campaign. He told everyone that it would not be easy but we could do it. Folks that are getting "timid or nervous" will forever be frozen in the bad old post Regean days. For me, I would just as soon they rolled back the tax rates to 1970. It would solve the whole problem.

[instagladiator]

From the actions he's taken, it is plain to see that he did like any other politician would do, say anything, promise anything, to get elected.
End of story.

[CarolinaDem]

Because it feeds directly into the maw of those who don't want health care to be reformed, for one. It's not helpful to anyone.

[instagladiator]

So, this is REALLY about health care then?

[dwright]

Yeah, just read what his son has done for our country!!

"Powell has been a high-profile chairman of what had generally been a quiet regulatory agency. He has pushed for increased fines for obscenity and indecent content by the nation's broadcasters and backed a change in media ownership rules that allowed for greater consolidation by the industry's largest conglomerates. "

http://money.cnn.com/2005/01/21/news/newsmakers/powell_resigning/

[Village]

Are you kidding me? Rolled by the neocons, and you want to give Obama advice?

Can't you do find something to do? Nobody cares what you think/

[ClownPosse]

And I should care about a Bush Stooge why ?

Apparently Mr. Powell assumes that everyone has forgotton his personal Whoredom to the Bush Admin., and that we should now believe that he is somehow relevant !

[amdan]

THANK YOU!

As a matter of fact, would the, so called MSM, please stop paying attention to what any republican politician and/or tv radio personality has to say, untill that day where they again have control of either the congress or the WH.

The republican have no real power, so their opinion are there for irrelevant.

Mr. President WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

[Lex10]

This coming from a guy who ran..........................
The ARMY

[didntvote4thedude]

And too chicken to get Sadam the first time.

[freethinking moderate]

And how many times did Powell warn Bush about making governemnt too big?!?!?!? Where is a :rolleyes: emoticon when you need one?