It is hard to imagine a more critical issue in America than the federal budget and "The President’s Funding Priorities". No matter what the stock market tells us, the war in Iraq has turned federal finances upside down and will have serious direct and trickle down impacts for decades, not to mention the rise of new economic tigers around the world, led by China, and the reliance on those tigers to keep the dollar afloat... the U.S. economy is in a precarious condition. Will the current reliance on supply sided economics and free trade grow enough of the economy fast enough to address the baby-boom implosion of social security and medicare costs ahead? So many issues to consider, and the City Club is offering Clevelanders the opportunity to get answers from a great source, as Rob Portman, director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) since May 2006, will speak about the economy and federal budget priorities at noon on Friday, January 5, 2007, at The City Club of Cleveland. From their Press Release on this talk:

The White House OMB is the largest office within the Executive Office of the President and is an important conduit by which the White House oversees the activities of federal agencies. OMB is tasked with giving expert advice to senior White House officials on a range of topics relating to federal policy, management, legislative, regulatory, and budgetary issues.

Portman first served in the President’s cabinet as the U.S. trade representative. Previously he served as a representative of the Second District of Ohio in Congress, where he was chairman of the House Republican Leadership and liaison between the House Leadership and the White House. He served as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee and as vice chairman of the House Budget Committee.

Portman’s specific legislative successes include authoring the law to curtail unfunded federal mandates, four laws to reduce substance abuse and its consequences through prevention and education, and three laws to encourage people to save more for retirement.

Prior to his service in Congress, Portman was an associate in the Washington law firm of Patton Boggs from 1984 to 1986. He worked as an associate and then a partner at the law firm of Graydon, Head and Ritchey from 1986 to 1989 and 1991 to 1993 in Cincinnati. He served in the first Bush White House from 1989 to1991 as associate counsel to the President and later as director of the White House Office of Legislative Affairs.

Tickets for this City Club Friday Forum are $18 for members and $30 for non-members. Lunch is included. Reservations are required at least 24 hours in advance of the event. They can be purchased by calling The City Club at 216.621.0082 or visiting the website at www.cityclub.org.

Established in 1912 to encourage new ideas and a free exchange of thought, The City Club of Cleveland is the oldest continuous free speech forum in the country, renowned for its tradition of debate and discussion. The City Club’s mission is to inform, educate and inspire citizens by presenting significant ideas and providing opportunities for dialogue in a collegial setting.

  Missy S. Toms Director of Membership & Marketing The City Club of Cleveland 850 Euclid Ave., 2nd Fl. Cleveland, OH 44114 216.621.0082 888.223.6786 F: 216.621.0129 mtoms [at] cityclub [dot] org To become a member or make a reservation, visit us at www.cityclub.org.

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