would he consider signing a piece of legislation that eliminated americorps? >> i think we're a long way from getting a piece of legislation to sign. as i said earlier, you know, we look forward to seeing what republicans have put out, will you see on monday what the president puts out in a budget that over the course of the next five years will freeze spending levels resulting in cuts of about hds 400 billion and roll -- $400 billion and rolling us back to a spending level of a percentage of our economy that we haven't seen since eisenhower was president. i think we all agree that spending has to be reduced. and i think we're going to spend a lot of time in the next several months working to see what investments need to be made to address the challenges that we have in the future and i think that's what some of that debate is going to be about. >> you can ask ann the question on eliminating americorps? >> i appreciate your theories. >> can i ask you a question on egypt? what role has the advice chief been getting from friendly arab governments in the play of

programs on the chopping block including americorps and the corporation for public broadcasting, but the bill protecting spending on many defense and veterans programs as well. >>> meantime the political rumor mill is in overdrive this morning amid unconfirmed reports that sarah palin may have hired a chief of staff to head a possible presidential run in 2012. now according to cnn and the website politico, palin is tapping -- >>> we have much more ahead coming up on "today in the bay." orange and black attacks, do you have what it takes to cheer on the giants this season? the auditions that are separating the bandwagon fans from the die hard. >> and it should be a pretty good day for that. we're going to see a lot of warm temperatures today, but things are going to change by the end of the weekend. we'll talk more about those changes in your seven-day forecast when we come right back. ♪ i thought it was over here... ♪ [car horn honks] our outback always gets us there... ... sometimes it just takes us a little longer to get back. ♪ >>> good morning to you, take a live look at the gold

and it would eliminate the corporation for public broadcasting and americorps. democrats, like david cicilline of rhode island, warned the cuts will do far more harm than good. >> the republicans are moving forward with a dangerous spending bill, one that continues to give rewards to the rich, and literally guts the initiatives most meaningful to middle class families. simply put, the republicans' spending bill is irresponsible and tone deaf to the needs of a healing nation. >> woodruff: but house speaker john boehner was unapologetic about the drive to cut spending and the size of government. >> over the last two years, since president obama has taken office, the federal government has added 200,000 new federal jobs, and if some of those jobs are lost in this, so be it. >> woodruff: a vote on the house republican spending proposals is expected on thursday. late today, a white house statement warned the republican bill would undermine "core government functions," and it said if the measure is not changed, "the president will veto the bill". for more on the polit

administration, which is now warning employees of potential furloughs, and eliminates the financing for americorps. these cuts are controversial but republicans insist they are necessary, and stand by them. >> we know that we have to go in to a national era of austerity because of the overspending that's taken place over the last four years, in particular, and the last two years in a hugely significant way. >> reporter: okay. now the bill goes to the senate. and the democratic-controlled senate isn't going to go along. and in two weeks the government runs out of money unless congress votes some more. so there's the confrontation. either they make compromise over the next two weeks, or possibly the government shuts down. russ? >> it sounds so simple, bill. bill plante at the white house. thank you very much. now here's rebecca. >> thanks, russ. more massive protests expected today in wisconsin against governor scott walker's plan to balance the state budget by cutting the collective bargaining rights of many government workers. tens of thousands of teachers, students, and public employees have been

under the proposal is americorps, public broadcast he will be erased. for unless programs for feeding poor, feeding women, children, that is rising the ire of people. it is supposedly up for debate later today. >> mark: back here in the bay area of major recall for cruise ship. splendor is on its way out. back in november it lost all power at sea. knocking out telephone, and hot food service. stranded 4000 passengers out at sea for several days. yoli? >> reporter: at least the disco lights are working so you can dance on the ship when it is ready to go out to sea. it has to pass one more test. the float test they will take it out to the middle of the bay to make sure it float spirit want it clears it will go to long beach to pick up passengers. >> mark: the provided a lot of work for the bay area how long was that here? >> reporter: they got here around january 23rd so it has been a while around three weeks. it is unfortunate eight caught on fire but it benefited test locally. we are the only dry dock that can handle a ship this size. we were able to em

i'm talking about service programs like americorps, the corporation for national and community service, that creates an infrastructure that says to those people who want to volunteer and serve their country, a thousand points alike, we're here to partner with you in doing that. yet the republican proposal would zero out that civic infrastructure. it's about investing in human infrastructure, building up human capital. that's education and health care and job training and innovation and technology. that's what human capital and human infrastructure is about. but we can look through this budget and find examples of cutting those priorities as well. how does that build up america? that tears america down. it doesn't build it up. and the last piece of this, if you're going to make america strong and keep it strong, is you got to preserve the natural resources of this country. . i looked at the numbers in terms of what is being done which would hurt and i'll mention them. cutting the environmental protection agency by 29%, a $3 billion proposed cut. now how are you going to protect the envi

when we hear these ideas, whether it's hr1 or others about cut this, cut that, cut americorp, it's just young people doing whatever it is they are doing. no, four of them are in my mayor's office of civic engagement and volunteerism, making sure that folks are getting the opportunity to focus on literacy, tutoring children, et cetera, et cetera. these are serious programs that i could never fund and in many instances would not be able to justify given some of the other changes that we've had to make. so getting foundation support, private sector support, and moving a few bodies around is a little bit of the way of the future. it's the new normal. >> you are pointing to two things. one public-private partnerships which we focused on creating ons and opportunities. we have a focus group in the right think tank on the reentry programs which is not partisan issues. also the emphasis on volunteers. i want to get a couple more ideas. i see mayors from georgia and wisconsin. i'd like for them to introduce themselves. wisconsin has been keeping such a low profile as a state recently. i figure n

. >> eliminating americorp? >> >> i appreciate your multiple opportunities to get into a series of hypotheticals. >> what role has the advice that you've been getting from friendly arab governments played in the sort of recall rations of the add -- recalibrations of the administration's policy in the last couple weeks? >> what recalibrations of the administration's policy do you speak of? >> i guess the main recalibration might be sort of the meaning of now when we're calling for an early transition. >> well, i haven't spoken to any of those governments, but i interpreted now the same way the president did, and that was both when president mubarak said he was leaving and when the president said that that transition must begin now. i think that was a week ago monday. but it's clear, mike, that the government has not taken the necessary steps that the people of egypt need to see. that's why more and more people come out to register their grievances. but our notion of when the transition needed to have started hasn