I got this missive in my email.  That’s what I get for signing up for the petitions part of the White House website.

My comments are not* in italics.

Starting today, our government will need to grapple with a set of arbitrary budget cuts that will hurt the economy, make life harder for middle-class families, and threaten our national security. That’s what Washington means when it talks about the sequester.  Because cutting a few billion dollars in spending across a country with 300 million people, a slim majority of whom are gainfully employed, is going to cause the sky to rend, the rivers to turn red, and the Chicago Cubs to win the World Series.

Not everyone will feel the consequences of these cuts immediately, but if sequestration is allowed to continue, it will make life more difficult for Americans all across the country. That’s a fact that no one disputes.  See my earlier content.  Somehow, we did OK from 1791 to 1930 or so without an overly intrusive federal government, but we’re not going to be able to stand this for long.  

And the reason we are here is because some members of Congress have made a choice to prioritize these cuts over closing tax loopholes for the wealthy. But there is still time for them to make a different choice and undo this manufactured crisis.  We’re here because President Obama kicked the can down the road in 2011 rather than act like a statesman and accept that cutting a little bit out of the government and possibly closing a few small loopholes would do the same, but without the expense of a multi-state campaign swing scaring old people and those with nothing better to do than to listen to the President bloviate.  But there is still time for him to get his act together, break it to his base that maybe they ought to feed themselves a tad more, and undo this manufactured crisis.

Today, President Obama discussed this situation and answered questions from the press. “This is not a win for anybody,” he said. “This is a loss for the American people.”  Funny, the roads did not roll up before my truck on the way home.  The airplanes at the airport not only were able to take off, but also land.  I look now out at Louisville, and the sky does not glow orange against the clouds, so I’m going to assume that the worst things that could happen haven’t, or at least haven’t yet.  That may change when the welfare recipients, both those who life in poverty and those who live in penthouses, stop getting those strawberry scented checks on the first and the fifteenth of the month.

Help us make sure your friends and neighbors know what’s at stake. Share this video of President Obama on Facebook or Twitter — or even just forward this email to your friends.  I won’t insult you by linking to this dreck.  Suffice it to say that as he looks down from his alabaster palace on the hill, it pains him that the common folk won’t be able to afford their sparkling spring water and oh-so-fresh organic arugala.

PS — We put a page together that outlines President Obama’s solution for resolving the sequester, explains what these cuts will mean for communities across the country, and asks you to share your story.    heck it out: WH.gov/Sequester.  This ought to be good.  Let me just click on that link.  Of course, I’ll have to disinfect my mouse after that, but you do what you have to do.

Here is what the President thinks will bring us out of the wilderness of a cut in the growth of government spending:

Ok, let’s see here:

• Deficit reduction to date – A fantasy number based on projections that include miracles, alien invasion, and the Illuminati saving us all.
• Cuts in discretionary spending – I can buy that, so long as it’s actually discretionary and involves things that impact the President and his ilk as much as it impacts people like me.  Let’s start with setting the Presidential travel budget to zero, including his family and lackeys.
• Reduce payments to drug companies – Because contracts mean nothing when you print the money.  Of course, it’s not the government’s job to buy pharmaceuticals, so maybe I can get aboard with this.  If it keeps Dianne Feinstein and Nancy Pelosi from getting their botox and John Boehner from getting his Viagra, then I’ll call this one a win.
• Reduce hospital payments – Again, contracts mean nothing, but then again, I’ve never asked the government to pay my medical bills when I didn’t feel like paying.
• Efficient healthcare – Want to make healthcare more efficient?   Quit letting it mainline those sweet, sweet government dollars.  It’s amazing how quickly the non-profitable parts of a business fall away when the actual customers have to start paying for it.
• Ask the more fortunate to pay more – You mean like the 100% increase in my premiums/deductible/co-pays in the last 10 years?  And I must add that I’m “fortunate” because I get my butt out of bed every morning and go to this funny thing called a ‘job’.Oh, you mean that I should pay more for my healthcare to make up for the deadbeats who can’t be bothered to pay attention in school, work hard, not squeeze out a litter of kids every year or so, and live within their means?  Never mind.
• Eliminate certain subsidies for agriculture – Let me guess, if a state that didn’t vote for Obama gets agricultural subsidies, then those subsidies will be axed.  How about we get rid of the subsidies to millionaires and billionaires (in cash, not equipment) that get farm subsidies?  Of course, then the President might not get as big a check for his library from Hollywood, and how can he live without being feted by the creme de la creme of movies, sports, and pop music?
• Reform Federal retirement programs – Military retirees, bend over, here it comes again.  That’s what you get for not being in a contractually protected federal union retirement, now isn’t it?
• Reform postal service and TSA security fees – Translation:  Get ready to pay more for services you either don’t use or don’t want.
• Close tax loopholes – Not a bad idea.  How about we start all the tax breaks that have been extended to monetary supporters of the President’s campaigns?  
• Cut tax writeoffs for the wealthy – Remember that tax hike for the ‘wealthy’ that happened during the fiscal cliff negotiations?  Yeah, this is phase two.  Phase three will commence as soon as the ink is dry on whatever comes of all this.  Seriously, if you make $250,000 or more and support Obama, why do you hate your children so much?

You all know my opinions on how we can effectively cut the government and stop selling our progeny into slavery to pay for Presidential golf junkets and free cell phones to welfare queens:

• Military Spending
• Social Security
• Health Care
• Whatever

Instead, what we’re going to get is a few days or maybe a couple of weeks of more grandstanding, finger-pointing, and then a “compromise” that results in higher taxes and no brakes on spending, not actual cuts in the size and scope of the federal budget, will be trotted out by the usual gang of idiots.  Someone, probably those who want to make ‘radical’ cuts to government in order to make sure the United States in 2030 is not a wholly owned subsidiary of the East Asian Economic Cooperative, will be blamed for the turbulence of people having to take care of themselves and the government to have to reign in itself for a little while.

Now, please excuse me while I have a nice shot of something strong and amber.  It won’t help, but at least I’ll feel a little better.  Of course, I’ll feel it in the morning, but that might be nice and symbolic.

*Due to some weirdness, my comments were in italics in the editor, but that’s reversed in the published post.  I’m sure you can tell where the administration’s words end and mine begin.