The Era Of Big Government Is Over

by digby

...again.

So the president has endorsed the idea of a bipartisan "base closing" type deficit commission,which would force the congress to vote up or down on the whole package. But if the congress doesn't pass one he'll appoint a bipartisan presidential commission that will simply make recommendations.

It's pretty clear that the congressional commission won't pass and that a presidential commission won't do anything. But evidently, the president does want to politically tie his hands securely behind his back by putting the deficit at the top of the agenda and making sure that the nation sees it as bigger threat to its well-being than the fact that we have 10% unemployment, a moribund real estate market and an economically crushing health care system. It's exactly what the Republicans would do, which is why the villagers are feeling tingles up their legs at the prospect.

It goes without saying that actually delivering anything of value to the country is now off the table but I'm sure that between a fierce concentration on budget balancing and sounding really annoyed at bankers, the voters will be perfectly satisfied, so that's good.


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