How dumb does President Obama think the American people are?
On Tuesday, he and a cross-section of congressional Democrats assembled at the White House to declare an urgent need to restore the "PAYGO" system -- that is, spending rules ostensibly designed to impose some fiscal discipline in Washington.
"The 'pay as you go' rule is very simple," said the president. "Congress can only spend a dollar if it saves a dollar elsewhere."
Added Obama: "Paying for what you spend is basic common sense. Perhaps that's why, here in Washington, it's been so elusive."
Now that's rich.
After all, the man championing this newfound fiscal austerity is already running a $1.8 trillion deficit this year.
That includes the $787 billion stimulus package, plus various corporate bailouts and other spending.
In addition, Congress is pushing ahead this week with a variety of ways to fund Obama's massively priced health-care dreams -- starting with a hefty $635 bil lion "down payment."
And that's just the tip of the fiscal iceberg (with taxpayers riding the Titanic).
Note, too, that the Congressional Budget Office is projecting that Obama's $3.6 trillion budget will lead to $9.3 trillion in deficits over the next decade -- doubling the current $10.6 trillion debt.
And now the president gets energized over a congressional rule change that will supposedly reign in profligate spending?
Give us a break.
One thing politicians prove every day: Talk is cheap.
Everything else is expensive.
If the president were serious, instead of putting together this ready-made PAYGO photo-op, he could put his mouth where the taxpayers' wallet is.
He could have submitted a supplement to the budget passed a few weeks ago -- and identified serious spending cuts of his own. Or held off on introducing the health-care "down payment."
Instead, he's pushed his big-spending agenda -- raiding the Treasury, readying the presses to print money, hoping the Chinese keep those IOUs coming.
And then he calls for restraint.
Obama seems to think the public is too stupid to see what's happening.
Here's hoping it's not.
NY Post, 6/11/09
