Major Deficit Reduction Proferred

The administration has offered their first attempt at reducing the deficit, they're going to utilize unused TARP funds. A brave, disciplined move no doubt. I mean let it sit around a little longer Nancy and the troops will find a way to spend the cash. The country is in a quandary, Obama has promised not to raise taxes on those taxpayers making less than $200,000 (or was it $250,000, no matter), but the fact is that absent raising taxes the debt load is daunting. Moreover, it somewhat robs the Republicans of their primary legislative offering, lower taxes. No worry, nothing to see here just move along. Our feckless politicians will continue their dopey dance, providing no leadership whatever. Our government is failing (although not in a way knucklehead Glenn Beck screams about), but we continue to fiddle while Rome burns, alas.

House Democrats Believe Passage of Health Care Will Help Them in 2010

Self deception is dangerous and the level of self deception among Democrats, particularly the leadership is profound. How they can even make such a claim is evidence that sanity has no place in D.C. The health care debate combined with the unemployment rate and the perilous state of the US economy create dark ominous clouds over the heads of Congressional representatives recently elected. Sure it'll have little impact on the House leadership because they're in safe districts. The impact on many of their colleagues promises to be severe. It astounds me that the leadership is so tone deaf to what's going on in the real world.

Obama to Endorse House Healthcare Bill Today

The President according to reports plans to endorse the House healthcare bill today, so what does that mean. Firstly, I must confess to largely ignoring the House bill as a Pelosi build disaster area, but not the WH. The WH initially had expressed so much enthusiasm with the Senate's machinations around healthcare, so why the sea change?

I'm frankly not sure. Is this a desperate last second throw to the end zone? If I were pressed to render a judgment I guess that I'd have to say that it is. Let's digress, no substantive bill will pass Congress without the complicity of the Senate, yet the House bill has absolutely no chance of passing the Senate. So why does the Administration decide to weigh in at this moment.

I'm a little lost, is this Administration, which so capably managed the Presidential campaign, unable to recognize the minefield that they have stumbled into? Does anyone above the age of 25 really believe that any plan that our federal government enacts can actually bend the cost curve. Please, put aside all the crazy talk surrounding this debate.

Health care is 16-17% of our economy albeit with poor results relative to the world (i.e., child mortality, neo-natal care etc.). Put aside that our critical care medicine is without peer, that is where our competitive advantage lies. The level of medical costs is clearly detrimental to the overall economy, but can the government cure it. My 46 years on this planet leave me with a jaundiced view. Maybe it could happen and it certainly is worthy of Congressional and Presidential attention, but the House bill is a train wreck.

We're going to save $50 billion on fraud and abuse in Medicare. If so, why are we waiting to pass a bill to realize that savings. That mere proposal of the foregoing shows its insanity. The House bill is a testimony to bureaucracy not to added efficiency, how does the Administration feel that this represents our best answer to a clearly vexing problem. I am disappointed that the President's advisers have apparently told him that this is the best he can hope for. I don't pretend to know the answer, but I'm confident that the House bill ain't it.

NJ is the Key - Is Rome Burning?

Cast aside Virginia and the 23rd district in NY, the real takeaway from yesterday's races is Corzine's loss in NJ. More importantly, it's the size of the loss - 5% points. The win by Christie is significant in a number of ways. He ran an abysmal campaign against an unpopular governor in a horrible economy. His performance in the debates was deplorable, yet he won. Not an insignificant undertaking given NJ's predilection for electing democrats.

However, the whys behind the victory aren't difficult to discern nor is the impact this may have on the feckless members of Congress. This election and the inability of the economy to recover anytime soon bode ill tidings for incumbents, particularly blue dog democrats in the House. The election, combined with word from Senate sources that no health care bill would be issued prior to 2010 portend difficult times ahead for health carer and the administrations other domestic priorities. The administration looks like a slightly disabled car in a demolition derby, endless circling around awaiting the death blow of one of its competitors.

As I have said before the triumverate of advisors to the President are doing him no favors, their tin ears to the encompassing economic gloom is astounding and their lack of apparent attention to the same are beyond problematical. Much like the outset of the Clinton administration it appears that kids have been thrust into adult jobs. The question is who can right the ship. Clinton turned to the politically savvy insider David Gergen, but to whom Obama can turn is more vexing.

Firstly, send Ms. Jarrett home, she's obviously a bright person, but as clearly, she lacks the political acumen necessary to help the President navigate his way through this morass. Secondly, allow Mr. Axelrod to head home, he's as ineffectual a domestic advisor as his predecessor, Mr. Rove. Rahm should stay, but lord knows he needs a counterweight, and one of equal or greater stature than him.

I doubt that any of the above will happen until things get much worse (ugh!), Obama doesn't strike me as someone willing to act quickly, nor to I see his chief of staff (Rahm) recommending it. The said, if this Administration doesn't wake up very soon, the mid-term elections will be a disaster for the Democrats. If things aren't significantly better by next October look for cartoon picture of Obama as Nero, fiddling while Rome burns.

Health Care Done for 2009

Senate democratic sources indicate the no bill will be put forward prior to year end. Irrespective of one's position on such a measure, the political ineptitude is remarkable. The Obama administration has done nothing to strengthen its own hand, to the contrary they are the primary source of the failing of their main domestic imperative. An overall view is that hubris and political idiocy dominates the administration, more to my previous post.

Given this delay, it remains unclear to me that such a plan can be implemented, the 2010 elections will predominant, and the power of Obama will diminish. Such a sorry state of political acumen.

Pelosi, Reid, McConnel, Boehner and Most of All Obama - Do They Care What's Going On?

I remain throughly interested in the business of politics, but my view has changed somewhat. I know am far more interested in leadership, something sadly missing amongst the majority of our political class. Do these folks recognize the sorry state of our federal economy? Do they honestly care? If actions truly speak louder than words, these folks are clowns, not worthy of the positions they have.

The Republicans appear vested in the interest of the economy imploding once again to allow them to retake power. The Democrats, on the other hand, want their agenda passed, irrespective of the cost. The President, intent on listening to the knuckleheaded, tone-deaf trio of Jarrett, Emanuel and Axelrod, plods forward ineffectually. A sorry plight.

Where we leadership come from, sadly I have no answer. What I can say with some certainty is that the present path will not succeed. Housing, jobs, the explosion of the federal debt and the decline of the dollar do not bode well for our economy over the next 2 years. I for one am highly pessimistic.

More of the Same From The WH

Are they tone deaf or simply idiots. The latest from the government about the jobs they've created or saved, debunked http://tiny.cc/Mk7lS. What we learn as citizens is that the government, irrespective of the party in control, will tell the country what it believes they want to hear. It's pitiful, our governmental class is so out of touch with the citizenry that it is astounding. When will it change, I fear, no rather I expect, not within my lifetime. Congress is a joke, as is the Executive branch. I'm no kind of believer in the nonsense of the village idiot Glenn Beck, but the distance of our politicians from the people they reportedly represent is vast. I beyond troubled, I am despondent.

Thin Skin of WH Getting Pretty Old

Time to man up WH, the latest shot across the bow from the WH is against Edmunds.com, the car website. The shot attacks Edmunds.com's assertion that cash for clunkers cost the taxpayers $24,000 per car. While I question the number from Edmund's, the fact is the WH looks like clowns, trying to shout down all who challenge their programs. Grow up, everyone recognizes that we are playing on untrod ground. Quit being so defensive, do what you think is right, if the data shows you were wrong, do something shocking, admit it. The current administration continues to look weak.

Moreover, the administration's job creation numbers are pure fantasy. It is pitiable to put forward such lame information when the economic realities are so severe. It is entirely the wrong economic time to have such a pro-government administration in place.

The administration has shown precious little attentiveness to the present economic circumstances, instead they continue down a wish list that is out of step with present facts. I am extraordinarily troubled, the US economy is in shambles. Not beyond repair, mind you, but profoundly troubled.

I Question the Intellectual Strength of Valerie Jarrett

I watched her a number of times at this point and I am not yet convinced that this woman is all that bright, certainly not with regard to national politics. I know she has many acolytes not the least of which is the President himself, but I remain unconvinced. More importantly, I think her non-public, governmental knowledge is even more wanting. Frankly, I think her advice is atrocious. While her name is not associated with her unattributed comments to the press, I feel fairly confident her fingerprints are apparent on a number of items, yet of course her style is entirely different from the other 2 major spinners within the administration, Rahm and Axelrod. Her careless hiring decisions are one thing, but having a tin ear to the national political scene convinces me she is out of her depth.

How Bad Was That Call

The call on Joe Mauer's ball to right field in yesterday's Yankee Twins game was deplorable. I will say as succinctly as possible that it is the worst call I have ever seen in playoff baseball. The call was not even close and was absolutely abysmal. There is simply no excuse, the umpire was the left field umpire, unbelievable.