When Barack Obama hands out money where does this money come from?

Answer 1

The money comes from congress, whose job it is to make the laws, pass budgets, allocate funds for certain programs, etc. But contrary to the rhetoric on political Talk Shows, no president, Barack Obama included, "hands out money." In fact, the problem of government waste often starts with lobbyists, who persuade presidents and members of congress to pass legislation that will benefit special interests. These special interest groups often are big donors to political campaigns, so in the midst of even the most benign bills, there may be money set aside to benefit particular pet causes from organizations or advocacy groups who made major contributions to members of congress when they ran for office.

In fact, members of congress from both political parties have made these kinds of arrangements for several hundred years: you may often hear it called "pork," or you may hear it referred to as "earmarks." Thus, while it may look to his detractors like President Obama is "handing out money," the problem is much more complicated. Any president can champion certain programs, but it's up to the congress to vote on what priorities get funded.