Obama gets Boyd "excited"

(Sometimes the jokes just write themselves-ed)

From the Tallahassee Democrat
(Does he ever talk to the News Herald, or what?-ed)

WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama has promised to go through the budget of each federal agency with a fine-tooth comb, and that gets fiscal conservatives like Rep. Allen Boyd excited.

In fact, pledges made by the incoming administration remind him of the last time a Democrat occupied the White House.

"The Clinton administration went in and cut every agency there was. Government spending actually declined. Most people have forgotten that, but the numbers speak for themselves," said Boyd, a Monticello Democrat. "When you cut spending, you gain the confidence of the American people that you've got an efficient government doing what it's supposed to be doing and doing it well."

Boyd expressed optimism that Obama will set a tone in Washington that will encourage cooperation and productivity from both parties in Congress.

"We didn't have that in the last two years, when we've had a divided government," he said, referring to the Republican White House and the Democrat-controlled Congress. That shows, he said.

Congress is wrapping up a year that will be most remembered for the numerous financial bailout packages and a dearth of any other type of bill.

Federal lawmakers began the year on an optimistic note, supporting legislation intended to stimulate the economy through rebate checks to taxpayers. However, recipients failed to spend the extra money as hoped, forcing Congress into rescue mode, first trying to save struggling homeowners, then the financial industry and finally, domestic automobile makers.

Although he considered the bill flawed, Boyd voted for a historic $700 billion measure to rescue the financial sector. However, he opposed a $14 billion loan package for the nation's top three automakers.

"You've got an industry getting waxed by competitors around the world, because their cost of production and what they're producing is different from what it should be. And the market's got to work that out for them, not the government," he said.

Although critics have described the congressional year as long on bailouts and short on any other type of bill, Boyd touted several House accomplishments that affected North Florida, including:

# $8.5 million in appropriations for various military-related research projects conducted by Florida State University.

# $12.4 million for similar national defense-related projects at Florida A&M University.

# $11.6 million for the construction of a new Air Control Squadron Operations Training Complex at Tyndall Air Force Base. (Wow. Panama City actually gets an earmark.-ed)

# $800,000 million for Tallahassee Community College to establish a Manufacturing and Industrial Technology Center.

Boyd acknowledged Congress punted other big-ticket budget items such as health care and Social Security issues to the next year.

Also ahead: A decision on whether Boyd will run for the Senate seat that will be vacated by U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez, an Orlando Republican.

Boyd said he enjoys being a congressman, particularly for a region where generations of his family grew up and where he represents "people I've known for all my life."

But he said he also feels compelled to pursue public service to a further level.

"That's a decision I have to make now — where is the best platform to do that," he said. "Is it to stay in the U.S. House of Representatives, where we have worked for 12 years . . . or do we go into the smaller body, with only 100 members, start all over in terms of pecking order and move up."

Boyd said he and his wife, Cissy, will use the holidays to make a decision. He expects to make an announcement in January.