Obama asks Hill for support on budget

President Barack Obama goes to Capitol Hill Wednesday afternoon to garner support for his $3.6 trillion budget in 2010.

He faces opposition from Republicans and Democrats in his own party who are concerned that the plan will create a huge federal deficit that will burden future generations.

Mr. Obama is scheduled to meet at about 1 p.m. with Senate Democratic leaders.

Hill lawmakers have targeted Mr. Obama’s signature initiatives of middle-class tax cuts to plans to combat global warning.

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Mr. Obama says his budget is the foundation for “economic recovery” and “lasting prosperity.”

On Tuesday night, the president took his plan to the public with a prime time TV press conference, the second of his presidency.

Backing away from his call to deal with climate change as part of the budget, Mr. Obama said he never expected to get everything he asked by demanding that Congress use its major spending blueprint to act on health care, education, alternative energy and deficit reduction.

House and Senate budget leaders have already said this week the worsening economy will force cuts to Mr. Obama’s requests for domestic programs and his global warming initiative.

Mr. Obama pushed Tuesday night to keep alive as many of his campaign promises as possible, saying his ambitious budget that funds those priorities is “inseparable” from their goal of putting the economy on sound footing.

“I want to see health care, energy, education and serious efforts to reduce our budget deficit,” he said.

On Wednesday morning, House Minority Leader Eric Cantor, Virginia Republican, said Mr. Obama’s plan puts too much of a tax burden on the small businesses that create many jobs across the country.

“We’ve got to provide the relief to the job creators,” he said.