Big Red Car here. What a day — bluebird, not a cloud in the sky. Crisp, cool.
But all is not well in the Big Red Car’s world. In one word: SEQUESTRATION.
OK, I am willing to admit that as Big Red Car, I don’t really understand it so I had The Boss ‘splain it to me.
Hey, Boss, WTF is “sequestration”?
Here’s what The Boss had to say about it:
Hey Big Red Car listen up: Once upon a time about 16 months ago, our President wanted an increase in the debt ceiling. Every President has wanted to increase the debt ceiling because we are addicted to spending like crackheads. The fact that this President wanted an increase in the debt ceiling is not something that should be held against him.
The President got his debt ceiling increase from the Congress in return for a promise to reduce spending. The President signed this bill which included the notion of “sequestration”. In fact, it was the President’s idea. [pullquote]If you think any individual can screw things up, wait until you see what a committee can do. And then, a freakin’ Super Committee?[/pullquote]
President: “If you will just give me the debt ceiling increase that I want today, I will gladly promise to reduce spending through automatic cuts — this is the sequestration — or in the interim period we will form a Super Committee to substitute more palatable cuts for the automatic cuts. Debt ceiling increase today, spending cuts tomorrow. Haha.” Paraphrasing mind you.
So the deal was struck and the President was happy and the Congress was happy and the American people were tricked yet again. Of course, nobody with a brain thought it would actually work.
Road. Can. Kick.
The Super Committee
The Super Committee was formed and accomplished…………………………………..nothing.
Now, for historic perspective the President had previously formed another committee called the Simpson-Bowles [National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, an official Presidential Commission] Committee which prepared an excellent report that was a balance of spending cuts and revenue enhancements.
Former Senator Alan Simpson and former Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles are adults.
The President received the Commission’s report and enacted…………………………………..nothing.
With that background, who really thought that the Super Committee would accomplish anything.
So now there were a total of 16 months to get the job done, right?
The Election
There was an election to be held in November of 2012 and the President was running and running hard. The last thing he wanted was to have to answer questions about the out of control spending and the debt ceiling and the issue of his own fiscal competence.
During the campaign, sayeth the President in regard to sequestration: “Not going to happen.” Big smile.
The President was re-elected and these issues never really figured in the campaign.
The Piper must be paid
But as it turns our, the Piper must be paid and sequestration is upon us. So what does everyone do?
Well, the President first tries to sell the idea that sequestration is the Republican’s idea — but, alas, it was not and it is not and it was his idea.
But he tries to sell it. Fail.
Then the President attempts to scare the crap out of everyone in order to get the “intransigent” Republicans to give him what he really wants — higher taxes. Much higher taxes.
The Republicans gave him $600,000,000 in higher taxes on 1 January 2013. That was not enough. He wants more and more and more.
Even when he got the higher taxes, he did not deliver any spending cuts.
The Balanced Approach
Now, the President — who apparently has overlooked that the election campaign has ended and he won — preaches a “balanced approach” of taxes and cuts. Sounds fair, no?
But having already received his wishes — new taxes — in the form of $600,000,000 in taxes (plus arguably $1,500,000,000,000 — $1.5 trillion in additional taxes in Obamacare) and having delivered NO spending cuts, he wants to pretend that his sequestration law requires additional revenues as part of the enaction of the law — it does not.
To recap:
1. President preaches “balanced approach”.
2. President gets $600,000,000,000 in new taxes.
3. President delivers $0 in spending cuts in return for $600,000,000,000 in new taxes.
4. President wants even more taxes but offers $0 in spending cuts.
Integrity
So, the President launches a campaign to demonize the Republicans — not that hard to do because the Republicans are still licking their wounds from the barbed wire enema that was the election — and to make sequestration all their fault. Problem: it was his freakin’ idea.
Then, the President and his minions attempt to scare the crap out of the American people. The Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, says that “pink slips” are flowing. Teachers are being fired.
When pressed for actual proof, he cites a school district in West Virginia. Problem: not true and even the lapdog MSM is able to smoke out this canard.
Integrity? Ooops, seem to be out of integrity just now. Will have to order some and get it shipped in because the Administration has none.
So where are we?
These guys in Washington — both parties — are not getting the job done.
1. They cannot manage finances at the household level to say nothing of when it is counted in trillions.
2. They are fiscally incompetent.
3. They are liars of the most basic and fundamental nature. Liars.
4. They cannot lead and therefore they cannot govern.
We are facing the harsh reality that the most basic obligation of the Federal government — national defense — is going to be compromised as we contemplate:
1. The smallest Army since 1940.
2. The smallest Navy since early in the last century.
3. The smallest Air Force ever.
At a time when the world is aflame with current and future national defense challenges we will have castrated our military power. Castrated. Neutered.
1. Iran is going nuclear — a nuclear weapon in the hands of mad men.
2. Pakistan is nuclear and is going to spin out of control when we leave Afghanistan next year. Their nuclear arsenal is not secure.
3. North Korea is nuclear and is testing delivery systems that can reach the US.
4. China is at war with the US in the cypbersphere and is engaging in wholesale economic espionage and warfare.
5. Russia is ascendant and is trying to reassert itself as an international pain in the ass.
6. Oh, forgot, the entire freakin’ Middle East is aflame and we are ceding our influence to our adversaries including Al Qaeda.
7. Al Qaeda is as powerful and as aggressive as it has ever been.
8. We cannot even protect our Ambassadors.
IT IS TIME TO CONSIDER THE PREVIOUSLY UNTHINKABLE:
It may be time to give serious consideration to overthrowing this government and installing one that can deliver the basic compact of our Federal government. If you cannot defend the Nation, you cannot run the Nation.
Now, the Big Red Car is not advocating tanks in the streets or armed insurrection — yet — but it is time to consider prying the steering wheel out of the hands of these incompetent, lying clowns. Both parties. Peacefully.
But, hey, what the Hell do I know anyway? Hell, I’m just a Big Red Car.
