A Little Straight Talk

I'm sick of the double-talk emanating from Washington these days.  It's nothing new, but don't you just sometimes reach the point where you want to scream "Enough!!"?

For starters, let's call "revenue" what it really is - taxes.  Some people seem to think that the federal government just has money falling from the heavens  into the national treasury, but make no mistake about it:  the only income the government has is what it confiscates in taxes.  Obama doesn't have a "stash" - that money belongs to we, the people.  

The president told Barbara Walters he doesn't believe Republicans will hold "middle class tax cuts hostage".  Let's be clear here:  no one is getting a tax cut next year.  One of two things is going to happen:  either the current tax rates stay the same, at least for most of us, or taxes will rise.  But there are no cuts being discussed and the language being used is meant to deceive and mislead.  

The political antics on both sides are frustrating and disgusting.  Wouldn't it be refreshing if politicians, for once, stored their egos away and put the interest of the country first?  I won't hold my breath on this one.   

Obama the Foolish

As reported in The Weekly Standard today, President Obama is seeking advice   about taxes from Al Sharpton and Rachel Maddow of MSNBC.  This is like asking marital advice from someone who's been married and divorced several times.  

When the Simpson-Bowles Commission brought forth their economic plan for dealing with the deficit and reforming the tax code, there was a brief moment of hope that those in power could and would begin to manage our fiscal problems in a responsible manner.  Unfortunately, that was not to be. Obama made a big show of forming the commission and then proceeded to ignore their recommendations.  As noted before, the president is mired in a rigid ideology and he is obsessed with raising taxes on the "wealthy" (a little aside to the president: they have medications now that can help control obsessive/compulsive disorder).  He makes a show of seeking advice, but never seems to take the advice offered.  

Now, he's asking for advice from Al Sharpton and Rachel Maddow?!  MSNBC is the most blatantly partisan network on TV and Sharpton and Maddow are certainly not going to offer wise counsel.  

Democrats have been touting Barack Obama's supposed intelligence for years.  He may be intelligent, although that's debatable.  He most certainly, however, is not a wise man, for a wise man knows his limitations.  Obama, on the other hand, seems to believe he knows more than everyone else.

Perhaps Benjamin Franklin said it best:  "Wise men don't need advice.  Fools won't take it." 

Memo to Obama: the Campaign's Over

President Obama has been campaigning for at least the past six years.  He doesn't know how to do anything else; he certainly doesn't have the qualities of a good leader or negotiator.

The president appears to not be serious about the fiscal crisis this country is facing.  He is mired in juvenile stubbornness and rigid ideology.  John Boehner offered him a good compromise that increased revenues through limits on deductions for the wealthy.  How did Mr. Obama respond to this overture?  He made a counter-offer that included raising the top rates and increasing taxes on capital gains and dividends.  Also, the White House wants more spending on a new stimulus, extension of unemployment benefits, new money to refinance underwater mortgages, etc., etc., etc. The icing on the cake is that President Obama wants Congress to give him the authority to increase the debt limit whenever he wants and as much as he wants.  What does Mr. Obama offer? In exchange for all these concessions, Obama says he will "consider" spending cuts next year.  Republicans are absolute fools if they fall for this slimy trick.  

It's obvious that Mr. Obama's idea of "compromise" is that Republicans simply roll over and do exactly as he wants. Whether it's due to his temperament or limited intellectual capacity, Obama is simply inept when it comes to negotiation. This caused Harry Reid to leave him out of the final negotiations about the debt ceiling last year.  

The president is probably not worried about this.  He knows that many of his supporters are not well informed about fiscal matters and they'll believe anything he tells them. So, he'll blame Republicans when everyone's taxes increase and the economy falters and the mainstream media certainly won't tell anyone otherwise.