Knowing that a sober, adult analysis of revenues as a percentage of GDP would induce a coast to coast coma, the commander in chief resorted to what he does best: shrill personal and partisan attacks. Dude threw down. Instead of rebutting Rep. Paul Ryan’s proposals, the president reloaded and then strafed Republicans randomly with a barrage of ammo left behind by every Democrat since FDR. The GOP budget, he ranted, sends a clear message to our children, our seniors, and our poor. If you are in the dawn of life, the twilight of life, or the shadow of life, it’s lights out. Republicans only care about virgins and venture capitalists.
Paul Ryan was actually hurt by the president’s remarks. He expected better. He somehow believed he and the GOP leadership were now players in the budget game and not tackling dummies. What he and Speaker Boehner don’t seem to realize yet is what a gift the Republicans in Congress have been given. With his speech at GWU which was long on invective and short on inspiration, the president essentially ceded all the high ground on fiscal matters to the opposition. He announced he does not want a solution to America’s deficit and debt crisis. He’d rather have an issue for his re-election campaign…
This means that for the time being when it comes to budget debates on the debt ceiling, the next fiscal year, or any long-term strategy on entitlements, discretionary spending, and debt, the Republicans are the only adults in the room. Obama, who already has a reputation for voting present, is now not even bothering to show up.
