Steve R.
Retired
- Local time
- Today, 06:53
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2006
- Messages
- 4,703
Today the long awaited sequester is upon us. Will the sky fall? Have the four horsemen of the apocalypse been released? Will the sequester fizzle like the Y2K extravaganza. I don't know.
What I do know is that Obama on February 19, 2013 had media extravaganza complete with human props standing behind him predicting economic Armageddon should the sequester go into effect. Click here for the video.
Based on following the budget debate over the past several years, this speech is another disingenuous hollow shame. The speech simply fosters hysteria, fear, and implies financial Armageddon that would result from an apparent minor reduction in proposed spending increases. Translation, spending would still increase in 2013 and 2014, but at a slower rate. Yet they are disingenuously referred to as draconian "cuts". Using last minute scare tactics is very unseemly for the President of the United States.
On its face, the speech may not seem so horrendous. But when one digs a bit deeper its credibility approaches absolute zero. The most obvious proof is that Obama lied concerning his administration's involvement in giving birth to the the sequester concept. This lie has recently been exposed by Glenn Kessler in "Obama’s fanciful claim that Congress ‘proposed’ the sequester" and Bob Woodward in (video) "Sequester Was Obama's Idea". Even the Washington Post Editorial Board, usually quite pro-Obama finally acknowledge this truth.
Obama is the one behind promoting the sequester and for a while was loudly singing its virtues. Now he wants to abandon his "child". Not only is he proposing to abandon his "child", but he suggests that the sequester that he signed into law will be devastating to the economy. Didn't Obama do any rudimentary homework on the financial implications before sighing? If the sequester will be devastating to the economy Obama had no excuse for signing it.
Obama in his speech demands that Congress give him an alternative to the sequester. Well, it is Obama who wants to renege; so it should be Obama who proposes an alternative to his sequester.
That now leads into Obama's failure to submit a draft 2014 budget proposal to the House. That draft budget proposal is now nearly a month late. Since Obama does not wish to see the sequester go into effect, then Obama could use the draft budget proposal to offer an alternative to the sequester.
Also in regards to the missing budget proposal. Obama has not been able to prepare it and it is now a month late. Yet Obama was able to prepare detailed plans on how the sequester would harm the economies of each state.
Associated with the sequester, Obama complains that Congress is constraining his ability to prioritize spending. Essentially claiming that he does not have the authority to prioritize the sequester spending. Nevertheless, Obama has amazingly found "flexibility" to authorize humanitarian aid to Syria. Quite disingenuous.
Will Obama's assertions of economic devastation have substance? To early to tell, but Glenn Kessler in several Fact Checker articles has already begun to issue Pinocchios that identify false claims by Obama.
What I do know is that Obama on February 19, 2013 had media extravaganza complete with human props standing behind him predicting economic Armageddon should the sequester go into effect. Click here for the video.
Based on following the budget debate over the past several years, this speech is another disingenuous hollow shame. The speech simply fosters hysteria, fear, and implies financial Armageddon that would result from an apparent minor reduction in proposed spending increases. Translation, spending would still increase in 2013 and 2014, but at a slower rate. Yet they are disingenuously referred to as draconian "cuts". Using last minute scare tactics is very unseemly for the President of the United States.
On its face, the speech may not seem so horrendous. But when one digs a bit deeper its credibility approaches absolute zero. The most obvious proof is that Obama lied concerning his administration's involvement in giving birth to the the sequester concept. This lie has recently been exposed by Glenn Kessler in "Obama’s fanciful claim that Congress ‘proposed’ the sequester" and Bob Woodward in (video) "Sequester Was Obama's Idea". Even the Washington Post Editorial Board, usually quite pro-Obama finally acknowledge this truth.
Obama is the one behind promoting the sequester and for a while was loudly singing its virtues. Now he wants to abandon his "child". Not only is he proposing to abandon his "child", but he suggests that the sequester that he signed into law will be devastating to the economy. Didn't Obama do any rudimentary homework on the financial implications before sighing? If the sequester will be devastating to the economy Obama had no excuse for signing it.
Obama in his speech demands that Congress give him an alternative to the sequester. Well, it is Obama who wants to renege; so it should be Obama who proposes an alternative to his sequester.
That now leads into Obama's failure to submit a draft 2014 budget proposal to the House. That draft budget proposal is now nearly a month late. Since Obama does not wish to see the sequester go into effect, then Obama could use the draft budget proposal to offer an alternative to the sequester.
Also in regards to the missing budget proposal. Obama has not been able to prepare it and it is now a month late. Yet Obama was able to prepare detailed plans on how the sequester would harm the economies of each state.
Associated with the sequester, Obama complains that Congress is constraining his ability to prioritize spending. Essentially claiming that he does not have the authority to prioritize the sequester spending. Nevertheless, Obama has amazingly found "flexibility" to authorize humanitarian aid to Syria. Quite disingenuous.
Will Obama's assertions of economic devastation have substance? To early to tell, but Glenn Kessler in several Fact Checker articles has already begun to issue Pinocchios that identify false claims by Obama.
