By Richard Wolf, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON

President Obama laid out the details of his $3.6 trillion budget for 2010 Thursday while calling special attention to $17 billion that's not there.

The president chose to highlight 121 programs that he wants to eliminate or reduce, representing less than one-half of 1% of the budget. More than half of the savings would be in defense; about 20% are in domestic programs also targeted by former President George W. Bush.

The effort to turn attention to fiscal austerity follows a three-month period in which Obama signed a $787 billion economic stimulus package and a $410 billion spending bill to complete the 2009 budget. The stimulus package includes funding for flood prevention and wastewater treatment programs Obama now says should be eliminated.