The ENDLESS Campaign

"It's kind of like a kid coming to school saying, 'The dog ate my homework...it's childish. This is what children do until they mature. They don't accept responsibility."


After Jeb Bush's recent comments about Obama and his brother I've been researching metaphysical terms to see if I can find a correlated concept for the president's continual references to President Bush's administration. I tried "being defined by your opponent/being defined by negation,' 'blame-game' and 'finger-pointing." I haven't had any luck finding a related concept, so I'll just punt.


I think a majority of people are taught during their formative years that "making excuses" for poor performance indicates a lack of accountability. Some might say that it shows an inflated ego, while others would claim that it reflects insecurity. You could even surmise that an inflated ego ITSELF indicates insecurity. I think it's still too soon into the president's term to decide, with any certainty, what is going on in this man's id other than his frequent flyer Bush-bashing miles are right up there with Air Force One's.


It's become a meme that "Obama blames Bush" for any and every problem he has to solve after the Coakley/Brown battle in Massachusetts.  NYTimes economist/Dem pundit Paul Krugman actually advised Obama to blame Bush MORE.  I've seen examples of worried lefty faithful STILL countering this with "Reagan blamed Carter" and "Bush blamed Clinton."  So I did some research and found that the majority of "blame-casting" by Republican presidents occured during CAMPAIGNS or were OBLIQUE comments talking about the past.


I don't think anyone expected Obama to NOT point a finger at his opponent McCain or the president during the '08 campaign. The grating reality that President Obama seems to frequently lose sight of is that the campaign is OVER. As he reminded republican senator's during the year-long healthcare crusade, " HE WON!" Wearing those laurels also means- it's MY problem now.


I will admit I have not yet researched Obama's 2008 campaign rhetoric. If memory serves he did not present any of the problems at that time, issues he was might "inherit," as UNSOLVABLE. Barry promised to usher in "change" that would, of its own accord, cure the myriad ills he saw in the Bush presidency- he had a PLAN.


It's coming up on 2 years that this president has been in office, his plans aren't bearing fruit and he feels obliged to remind the nation our major issues were "inherited." I suppose that is easier than saying "My plan isn't working." To hear that WOULD be a change, and a welcome one- but I'm not counting on it.

Barry's Budget Boobery

Lefties argue Bush forced the hand of Obama's administration by leaving office in a sharp recession, dramatically stated "...the biggest since THE GREAT DEPRESSION."

That argument won't fly for two reasons. First, at some point Obama's administration has to take responsibility for itself. Second it's also not even close to being accurate.

From Jan. 20, 2001, to Jan. 20, 2009, the debt held by the public grew $3 trillion under Mr. Bush—to $6.3 trillion from $3.3 trillion at a time when the national economy and tax REVENUES grew as well.

By comparison, from the day Mr. Obama took office last year to the end of the current fiscal year, according to the Office of Management and Budget, the debt held by the public will grow by $3.3 trillion. In 20 MONTHS, Mr. Obama will add as much debt as Mr. Bush ran up in eight years.

Mr. Obama's spending plan approved by Congress last February calls for doubling the national debt in five years and nearly TRIPLING it in 10 years.

Mr. Bush's deficits ran an average of 3.2% of GDP, slightly above the post World War II average of 2.7%. Mr. Obama's plan calls for deficits that will average 4.2% over the next DECADE.

Team Obama has been on history's biggest spending spree, which has included a $787 billion stimulus, a $30 billion expansion of a child health-care program, and a $410 billion federal spending bill that increased nondefense discretionary spending 10% for the last half of fiscal year 2009. Mr. Obama also hiked nondefense discretionary spending another 12% for fiscal year 2010.

David Axelrod claims the pork-laden stimulus package has been a success, but Mr. Obama told Americans that if it were passed, unemployment wouldn't rise above 8%. It is now 10% and rising. The president also said it would create 3.7 million jobs, 90% of which would be in the private sector. By Mr. Obama's standards, and census takers aside, the stimulus failed miserably.

Mr. Bush did sign the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) into law and loaned $240 billion to banks. But those loans are being returned AT A PROFIT to the Treasury. Rather than using those funds to pay down the deficit, Mr. Obama wants to use them for NEW spending. What's more, he has lavished some $320 billion from TARP on car companies, union allies, and pet causes that will never be fully returned.

Releasing his budget 02/01/2010, President Barack Obama told the American people:

"We won’t be able to bring down this deficit overnight, given that the recovery is still taking hold and families across the country still need help. … Just as it would be a terrible mistake to borrow against our children’s future to pay our way today, it would be equally wrong to neglect their future by failing to invest in areas that will determine our economic success in this new century."

But not only does President Obama’s budget fail to reduce deficits “overnight”, his budget actually moves them in the opposite direction. President Obama’s budget would:

• Permanently expand the federal government by nearly 3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) over 2007 pre-recession levels
• Borrow 42 cents for each dollar spent in 2010
• Leave permanent deficits that top $1 trillion in as late as 2020

Rep. Paul Ryan (R., Wis.), the ranking member of the House Budget Committee, tells National Review Online that President Obama’s budget,

"This is a budget aimed to advance the administration’s philosophy and ideology. By increasing taxes and letting the country spiral into debt, this budget is a firm step toward transforming America into a collectivist society overseen by a social-welfare state.”

It's not too late to turn this around- God willing, theNovember elections will start the process.

Either/Or- Spill Fallacy #1

Heard some snarky asides..
from our leftist countrymen, "Boy those rednecks complain about big government but when there's a problem they whine to government for HELP!" I think it's time to puncture this arrogance and suck the lifeblood from it. Shall we?

Having raised teenagers, I've seen the "Good/Bad, Black/White, All/Nothing" type of reasoning that indicates an undeveloped ability for abstract thought. I bristle, however, when I hear fully grown liberals saying I must accept HUGE GOVERNMENT or no government. Why are these mutually exclusive? Well, of course, they're NOT- that's a fallacious argument.

There are some things the government can do and SHOULD be expected to do. Fighting wars and responding to national emergencies top my personal list, especially when I pay my taxes each April. That number gets bigger every year and when a disaster strikes I'd like to see my tax dollars go into action. I don't want to listen to excuses from a group who politicized the last disaster, gained power then proceeded to maintain the status quo they campaigned against.

Believe me, the LAST thing I want to see is an expansion of government at a time when the existing agencies and regulations we HAVE are not being enforced or adhered to. I want government that is EFFECTIVE, that can respond to an oil spill and manage the ecological impact at a level comensurate to the taxes we ALL pay for just this.

I'd like our money's worth or a refund please.