Obama's Speech on the Budget

There were no surprises.  It's nice to see he's been reading my blog.

This does not mean the speech wasn't worth giving.  As usual, he built a strong case for his proposal and laid out why the GOP is wrong.

Here's the problem.  People will decide, not based on what he said, but rather on what others will tell them.

Let's take this point by point.

First of all, the budget was balanced when George W. took over.  Two unnecessary wars and a tax cut for the rich later, the economy is in a nosedive.  W. then hands the keys over to Obama.

If the tax break had never been given by Bush, we'd be in good shape right now.  Remember how the GOP told us that putting money in the hands of the rich will create jobs.  Well, they were wrong.  You only have to go back a few years to see what a failure that was and continues to be.

Still, the GOP will say that Obama wants to raise taxes.

The fact is that the GOP can say whatever it wants.  "We can balance the budget and still lower taxes.  All you have to do is vote for us."

And some of us will, because someone pressed on our soft spot when we were infants.

Obama's overall message was, "I will not allow a tax break for the rich if the poor have to pay for it."

By the way, if the tax break that was extended to the rich last December, the one Obama approved so he could get unemployment money and extend the tax cut for the poor, it that tax cut had been eliminated, then the 4 trillion the GOP plans to save by eliminating Medicare would not be needed.

He called the GOP Medicare plan exactly what it is, "A plan to lower Medicare by pushing costs onto the seniors."

He pointed out that during the last 10 years, the rich have gotten richer while, for the first time in our history, the average wage of the middle class dropped.  The GOP plan will simply carry on with this redistribution of Anti-Robin Hood behavior by taking from the poor and giving to the rich.

The picture he painted if the GOP plan were to be enacted is as accurate as it is terrifying.  They want to reduce revenue even more while reducing funding for education.

That's right.  They want to give the rich yet another tax cut and, at the same time, reduce money for education.  all in the name of balancing the budget.

Here is the most important point.  Obama pointed out that we need to take care of those that don't have a voice in Washington.  Do you know who has a voice in Washington?  I do.  It's the rich.  They are well represented by the GOP.  This party is bought and paid for by the wealthiest among us.  That 1% is telling their GOP puppets to get just a little more "squeal from the pig."

The one thing Obama said that I don't agree with.  He said the GOP wants what is best for the country but differ from him as to how to get there.

In my mind, the GOP is why we are where we are now.  They want it to get worse so they can reinstate the Bush policies that got us here to begin with.

I'l love to hear from someone that saw the speech and has a different take on it.  Please be specific.

Jim