This post is in response to Bob’s post – Who is This Guy and Bob’s analysis of President Obama’s deficit reduction speech.
I had lunch with an older gentleman on Friday and when I am short of things to talk about I will mention our family blog. I told him that one of Bob’s latest posts was about President Obama’s deficit reduction speech and that Bob didn’t feel the president pointed out enough specifics as to how they planned on reducing the deficit.
The older gentleman’s response was “Jim no one gives a crap about how the president is gonna do it they just want to know that he is gonna do it”. He followed that up with “besides if the president did give us specifics most of us probably wouldn’t understand the specifics anyway so why should he mention them”.
I totally agree – Bob here’s the White House fact sheet if you want to dive into seven pages of specifics addressing the tough cuts and savings they hope to achieve in the coming years. Enjoy !
Webner House 
I think Ben Franklin’s advice is sound, and I would never want to get into a dispute with my thoughtful older brother or the distinguished Mr. Hartnett. However, I encourage anyone who is interested in this probably boring topic to read the “fact sheet” at the link in UJ’s post — because there really aren’t many “facts” there. Unless I missed it, there aren’t any statements about any programs that the President thinks should be cut. The “fact sheet” talks about broad spending reduction and revenue-raising goals, and how the President wants to establish a “Debt Failsafe” that would impose reductions if the debt ratio is not stabilized by 2014. That’s right, 2014 — three years from now, and two years after the President’s first term will have ended! As Chris Farley’s motivational speaker character might say, “Well la de freakin’ da!”
I understand Jim’s and Mr. Hartnett’s viewpoint, but I think this is a circumstance where we need leadership from the President, and leadership means staking out a position. If the President really is serious about deficit spending, he needs to propose some cuts, and he simply is not doing so.
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