Parsing the Prez #3

Quotes and translations from president 0bama's address of Sunday evening:

"Now, I’ve said from the beginning that the ultimate solution to our deficit problem must be balanced."

By which he means that the approach must be balanced, not the budget. We mustn't simply spend within our means, we must take more money from citizens to cover our spending.

"Now, is this the deal I would have preferred? No. I believe that we could have made the tough choices required — on entitlement reform and tax reform — right now, rather than through a special congressional committee process."

By which he means that it wasn't purely a credit line increase, or a plan where the credit limit was raised and taxes were raised by the same amount, thus holding the deficit steady.

"Now, this process has been messy; it’s taken far too long. I’ve been concerned about the impact that it has had on business confidence and consumer confidence and the economy as a whole over the last month."

By which he means only this last stretch when actual work was being done. He seems uninterested in the previous months and years during which his party refused to propose a budget when they controlled the House, and then to prevent passage of any proposed budget when they only had the Senate.

"Most of all, I want to thank the American people. It’s been your voices — your letters, your emails, your tweets, your phone calls — that have compelled Washington to act in the final days. And the American people’s voice is a very, very powerful thing."

By which he means that it felt like his votes were going away, and he was desperate both to implicate others and to look presidential while doing it, thus - he hopes - minimizing his further drop in approval polling.

In one way, it's frightening how transparent he is. In another way, it's comforting.

Posted by Pygmalion 56

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