Tuesday, March 24, 2009

BUSH DEFICIT VS OBAMA DEFICIT


The picture. See the Heritage Foundation website for details.

Thanks to Instapundit for the tip.

ROVE ON O'REILLY

Karl Rove made an interesting point on the O'Reilly Factor. President Obama wants to hold down the cost of health care by increasing the Federal budget. Sort of like robbing Peter to pay Paul (with a little skim off the top for Uncle Sam).

OFF STAGE


TOTUS was in the back of the briefing room tonight. I guess the President felt he was being upstaged.

via twitpic.

LIVEBLOGGING OBAMA

8:06 PM - So far he's used the word "investment" repeatedly. So taxes are now investments in "liberalese."

8:08 PM - He's got a list of people to call on. Can't recognize the individual reporters? Or is he calling on the friendlies?

8:10 PM - Can we trust you with the authority to take over other financial institutions? No answer.

8:11 PM - Why not ask the public to sacrifice? Answer: folks are sacrificing already; we have to make sure that the "rich" make sacrifices. We're going to "invest" in the future. Don't want to return to the "false prosperity" of the last several years.

[UPDATE} Jonah Goldberg comments on sacrifice.

8:12 PM - American people must continue to "volunteer." Huh?

8:16 PM - Will you veto the budget if there is no cap-and-trade? Answer: it in Congress's hands; I'm sure they'll come through. But no threat to veto.

8:21 PM - Obama: if we don't invest, we won't grow. We'll still have trillion dollar deficits. No recognition that the deficits are a result of the spending which is occurring on his immediate watch.

8:24 PM - Don't look behind the curtain ... those future deficits are just current estimates. Next year (when no one's looking) we'll give you a better number.

8:26 PM - Now it's Mexico. Should the military be sent to the border? Uh, well, uh ... the Mexican government is doing very well.

8:28 PM - Blame Bush. "Over the last several years ... veterans have been neglected."

8:30 PM - He's now trying the Defense Department "fraud, waste, and abuse" argument. As a former Defense contractor, I've been through this before -- it's nonsense.

8:31 PM - Asked about the deficit (again), the President turned the answer to health care. If I understand him (hah!) then the health care crisis is the cause of the deficit.

8:37 PM - Did I hear him right? The deficits will persist beyond our 10-year forecast? Is he seriously suggesting running the US into complete bankruptcy?

8:44 PM - Why is the President always talking about layoffs of "teachers and policemen?" What about people employed in the private sector? So far, I can't recall him ever saying word one about secretaries and plumbers.

8:55 PM - It's over.

9:55 PM - Two last thoughts. First, the arrogance. Approaching the podium, President Obama didn't walk; he strutted. Second, no matter what the question, the answer was "investment" in health care, energy, and education. The financial crisis is just an opportunity to invest.