The Pragmatic Progressive

[Howey]

In me fully agrees with the President's plan to return our country to prosperity.

As should everyone.

[Howey]

"As a result of ... bipartisan efforts, America's finances were in great shape by the year 2000. We went from deficit to surplus. America was actually on track to becoming completely debt-free, and we were prepared for the retirement of the Baby Boomers.

"But after Democrats and Republicans committed to fiscal discipline during the 1990s, we lost our way in the decade that followed. We increased spending dramatically for two wars and an expensive prescription drug program -- but we didn't pay for any of this new spending. Instead, we made the problem worse with trillions of dollars in unpaid-for tax cuts -- tax cuts that went to every millionaire and billionaire in the country; tax cuts that will force us to borrow an average of $500 billion every year over the next decade.

"To give you an idea of how much damage this caused to our national checkbook, consider this: in the last decade, if we had simply found a way to pay for the tax cuts and the prescription drug benefit, our deficit would currently be at low historical levels in the coming years.

"But that's not what happened. And so, by the time I took office, we once again found ourselves deeply in debt and unprepared for a Baby Boom retirement that is now starting to take place. When I took office, our projected deficit was more than $1 trillion. On top of that, we faced a terrible financial crisis and a recession that, like most recessions, led us to temporarily borrow even more. In this case, we took a series of emergency steps that saved millions of jobs, kept credit flowing, and provided working families extra money in their pockets. It was absolutely the right thing to do, but these steps were expensive, and added to our deficits in the short term.

"So that's how our fiscal challenge was created. That's how we got here."

[lil mike]

"As a result of ... bipartisan efforts, America's finances were in great shape by the year 2000. We went from deficit to surplus. America was actually on track to becoming completely debt-free, and we were prepared for the retirement of the Baby Boomers.

"But after Democrats and Republicans committed to fiscal discipline during the 1990s, we lost our way in the decade that followed. We increased spending dramatically for two wars and an expensive prescription drug program -- but we didn't pay for any of this new spending. Instead, we made the problem worse with trillions of dollars in unpaid-for tax cuts -- tax cuts that went to every millionaire and billionaire in the country; tax cuts that will force us to borrow an average of $500 billion every year over the next decade.

"To give you an idea of how much damage this caused to our national checkbook, consider this: in the last decade, if we had simply found a way to pay for the tax cuts and the prescription drug benefit, our deficit would currently be at low historical levels in the coming years.

"But that's not what happened. And so, by the time I took office, we once again found ourselves deeply in debt and unprepared for a Baby Boom retirement that is now starting to take place. When I took office, our projected deficit was more than $1 trillion. On top of that, we faced a terrible financial crisis and a recession that, like most recessions, led us to temporarily borrow even more. In this case, we took a series of emergency steps that saved millions of jobs, kept credit flowing, and provided working families extra money in their pockets. It was absolutely the right thing to do, but these steps were expensive, and added to our deficits in the short term.

"So that's how our fiscal challenge was created. That's how we got here."

I actually remember this part of his speech. I didn't fall asleep like Biden did (thanks Red Bull!).

Although the President is usually pretty verbose, I was astounded how many incorrect things he crammed into so few words.

[Howey]

Do tell!

I couldn't tell if Biden was sleeping or stifling a giggle.

[Howey]

I just watched the video. He was definitely sleeping. You know how someone starts nodding off and then kinda jerks their head up? Oh. I just remembered. I nodded off too during the speech. 

If there's any defense, he probably already knew what the President was going to say.

Although the President is usually pretty verbose, I was astounded how many incorrect things he crammed into so few words.

I guess it couldn't be too bad since you didn't call it "lies". It'll be interesting to see how you spin this, although it's probably going to be close to one of your favorite rags.

http://washingtonexaminer.com/politics/2011/04/obamas-budget-speech-shows-his-unyielding-ideology

President Obama on Wednesday declared himself "honest about what's causing our deficit" and ready to face "tough choices." Yet he insisted on "protecting" his administration's "investments in the future."
Billed as a speech about cutting the deficit, Obama instead delivered a speech about why not to cut spending and why to preserve all of his programs. "We do not have to sacrifice the America I believe in," he said, in one of his many uses of the first-person singular.

You've got to question the intelligence of the author of that piece considering Obama said "We".


Then we have Fox's Charles Krauthammer's comments:

http://dailycaller.com/2011/04/13/krauthammers-take-on-obama%E2%80%99s-budget-address-i-thought-it-was-a-disgrace/

“I thought it was a disgrace,” he said. “I rarely heard a speech by a president so shallow, so hyper-partisan and so intellectually dishonest, outside the last couple of weeks of a presidential election where you are allowed to call your opponent anything short of a traitor.

Hah! Now go back and read the comments on the Examiner's story!

It is astounding to see how far America has fallen since January 20, 2009. I used to think there would be something left to save after 2012. But the country's descent has been so rapid that "Thelma" Uhbammah may have already driven us off the cliff and we're halfway to the canyon floor and don't even know it yet. In fact, it seems that the witless part of the country has bought the Dimocrat reasoning that 'we're doing OK...give him time' solely because we have not hit bottom of the canyon yet.

History will record that this country committed suicide by Barack Hoover Uhbammah, peace be upon him, abetted by the legions of imbeciles who elected this fraud.

Tim, just say it and get it done with....He's a Marxist of better yet a neo-Marxist. And don't forget the uber-libs in the Congress, they're Marxists as well. Keep putting the label on them so the American people understand who we're dealing with.

"His America" and "His vision"; what a narcissistic spin-meister. His vision for America is total destruction of his enemies and party favors for his friends. The only problem is that WE are gonna take the dope away from the dealer; watch the DEM-Rats scurry to get off the burning SS Messiah....

Obama despises Our Country, Our Constitution and Our Laws. What else is there to say?

Doesn't his speechs remind you of Castro? Aside from the cigar he has the same body language, hand language and speech presentation.
Wonder if Castro read from a teleprompter too?

I truly believe Obama has a mental disorder!

[Howey]

Naaahhh...the rich shouldn't share!

[lil mike]

I guess it couldn't be too bad since you didn't call it "lies". It'll be interesting to see how you spin this, although it's probably going to be close to one of your favorite rags.

http://washingtonexaminer.com/politics/2011/04/obamas-budget-speech-shows-his-unyielding-ideology

OK I'm not clear exactly what you are asking.  For me to comment on the article or the comments?

[Howey]

OK I'm not clear exactly what you are asking.  For me to comment on the article or the comments?

I'm still waiting for you to back this up:

I was astounded how many incorrect things he crammed into so few words.

As far as the comments above, you don't need to comment on them. We already know you agree. 

[Howey]

Still waiting....

[lil mike]

I'm still waiting for you to back this up:

As far as the comments above, you don't need to comment on them. We already know you agree. 

"As a result of ... bipartisan efforts, America's finances were in great shape by the year 2000. We went from deficit to surplus. America was actually on track to becoming completely debt-free, and we were prepared for the retirement of the Baby Boomers."

Factually incorrect.  The social security trustees report for 2000 had social security running out of funds to completely pay retirees in 2037.

http://clinton4.nara.gov/WH/New/html/20000330.html

Oddly enough, that's about the same year as the more recent trustee's report.

So we were never prepared for the retirement of the boomers. 

We were in surplus at the beginning of the last decade, until the the dot com bust though.  Bush entered the Presidency in a recession.




"But after Democrats and Republicans committed to fiscal discipline during the 1990s, we lost our way in the decade that followed. We increased spending dramatically for two wars and an expensive prescription drug program -- but we didn't pay for any of this new spending. Instead, we made the problem worse with trillions of dollars in unpaid-for tax cuts -- tax cuts that went to every millionaire and billionaire in the country; tax cuts that will force us to borrow an average of $500 billion every year over the next decade.

It sounds good, although the thought of Obama being critical of the free spending budget ways of the Congress during the Bush administration (which is what he is referring to), is that even with two unpaid for wars and an expensive unpaid for prescription drug program, we had a budget deficit of 160 billion in 2007.  And that was on a downward glide of a Bush deficit high in 2004.  So I would say the President is wrong about those reasons for the deficit.

"To give you an idea of how much damage this caused to our national checkbook, consider this: in the last decade, if we had simply found a way to pay for the tax cuts and the prescription drug benefit, our deficit would currently be at low historical levels in the coming years."

That sounds so absurd that I think the burden of proof should be on the President.


"But that's not what happened. And so, by the time I took office, we once again found ourselves deeply in debt and unprepared for a Baby Boom retirement that is now starting to take place. When I took office, our projected deficit was more than $1 trillion. On top of that, we faced a terrible financial crisis and a recession that, like most recessions, led us to temporarily borrow even more. In this case, we took a series of emergency steps that saved millions of jobs, kept credit flowing, and provided working families extra money in their pockets. It was absolutely the right thing to do, but these steps were expensive, and added to our deficits in the short term.

"So that's how our fiscal challenge was created. That's how we got here."


I would give the President truthiness right up to "emergency steps that saved millions of jobs..."  Where is the evidence of that?  The President or his administration will point to the CBO report on the Stimulus, which, the President or his administration will not point out was based only on computer models, not with with real world data.  Hopefully they will take up that project again and use actual data from the economy.  The credit flow problem was solved before he got into office.  He did have a tax cut in the stiimulus, so that's something I guess.

This was a prepared speech so I'm sure this was reviewed, so they really meant to say all this.  More's the pity.