This panel will examine what sorts of decisions the President and Congress – new or old – will have to make following this year’s November elections. Panelists will examine the political landscape and describe the major decisions that have to be made, including on government funding, sequestration, and tax cuts. Special emphasis will be given to the impacts various budget proposals will have on Great Lakes restoration funding.

1. Dr. Paul Isely
Seidman College of Business
Grand Valley State University

3. INCOME
Average growth 3.1%
TIME

4. INCOME
TIME

5. INCOME
TIME

7. 12.2
12
TRILLION DOLLARS
11.8
11.6
11.4
11.2
11
10.8
OBAMA RYAN
Sources: Ryan Budget Plan, Budget of the US government, and CBO

8. RYAN
45%
55%
Defense Non-Defense
OBAMA
48%
52%
Defense Non-Defense
Sources: Ryan Budget Plan, Budget of the US government, and CBO

10.  $67 million to $127 million less funding
in Romney/Ryan plan vs Obama plan
 Assume Ryan proposed ratio of defense to non-
defense spending
 Assume government spending reduced to 20% of
GDP
 Range shows keeping GLRI funding intact vs
proportional cut
 Assume proportional cuts for all but GLRI funding
 Based on average project size, this
results in approximately 60-130 fewer
federally funded restoration projects
across the Great Lakes region

11. iselyp@gvsu.edu