Monday, February 23, 2009

LOL (Laugh out Loud)

I saw it first in a Washington Post story yesterday. I do not as a rule read any further than the article titles because I already pretty much know what the stories are going to be, but yesterday I took the bate on this one and read the first paragraph, but not before I LOL. The headline was "Obama's First Budget Seeks To Trim Deficit". (I am finding an incredulous grin on my face even as I write. I can't help it; I know its horrible, but elections have consequences.) It said all I needed to know. He is going to raise taxes on the "wealthy", and cut spending on the military.

I suppose I'm suppose to believe that this is going to trim the deficit that has been increased through pork barrel spending three quarters of a trillion dollars since being in office one month, with more on the way. I would cry I suppose but there will be plenty of opportunity for that later. For the time being I'll be suspending disbelief and L'ingOL.

3 comments:

Stan said...

It's even funnier if you keep reading. The next paragraph points out the "$787 billion stimulus package" as well as his "key changes to environmental policies and a major expansion of health coverage". I'm waiting ... exactly how does increasing spending trim the deficit? And since the "stimulus package" is supposed to ... you know ... stimulate the economy, exactly how does increasing the tax burden on business stimulate the economy? And then there was this little gem: "Even before Congress approved the stimulus package this month, congressional budget analysts forecast that this year's deficit would approach $1.2 trillion."

Man, oh, man, I clearly don't understand economics. And apparently I'm doing it all wrong at home. I keep thinking "decreasing spending" is when you decrease spending and "cutting the deficit" is when the deficit is reduced. I just wish I had the courage to do economics like the government is.

Kristi said...

I've recently taken to burying my head in the sand, lest I be aware of all of these things.

Siiiiigh.

Danny Wright said...

Stan

I think this is the "we can have it all ways" mentality. We can avoid all pain, have a thriving economy and confiscatory taxing; not to mention out of control regulations, predatory litigation, and a government that holds a bottomless barrel of money. And what the heck, we'll lower the global temperature while we're at it. Sounds good I know; the wall of reality is really going to hurt this time I think.