The GOP is rightly standing in opposition today to the President's budget plan (to be unveiled in tonight's speech). Tonight will be Obama's push back to regain dominance. Last week's down-to-the-wire deal of 38 billion and change noticably hurt the White House, as it stood by silently and ultimately conceded to a plan that was worse than it had expected and had pleased none. Now Obama will fight it out for tax increases on the wealthy for perhaps no real reason aside from ideological liberalism and to flash his muscles. Other than this show it will do nothing in the face of monsterous spending or debt management.
Obama also will call for reductions in the Department of Defense, okay. As Congressman Ryan has said, no program is off the table. But forgive me if I find it odd that the first program the President is willing to explore cuts for is our national defense. An almost unashamed play to the left. I don't have a Harvard degree so maybe there is some reasoning behind this that makes sense - to cut defense in the conduct of 3 wars and an international manhunt against terrorism? Mr. President, you haven't even asked us if we are OK with operations in Libya yet. Are we suppose to assume you know the final costs of your adventure there and can make the cuts accordingly?
It is all slight of hand and early campaigning. Ignore the huge debt behind the curtain. Republicans have their chance again to fight this. The weakness of Obama's compromising hand has been shown again and again. The GOP has its job to do in the upcoming hours: stick to their guns in their opposition to tax hikes. Our best advantage is now, to keep socialism at bay through showdowns.
The common defense is one of the few constitutionally valid areas of national spending. With terrorism and world unrest, it does not seem wise to cut this particular area, of all the things the government could scale back on.
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