More Than One A Day
by James Glaser
January 25, 2010

Just for your information, on average, more that one American Soldier or Marine is killed in Afghanistan every day. However, we have no idea of how many are being maimed and wounded. The Pentagon is reporting their losses in Afghanistan the same way they reported their losses in Iraq. They have to report the number of troops killed because their bodies come home in flag draped coffins, but those wounded can remain uncounted because they can get medical treatment in Afghanistan, be sent to one of several overseas military hospitals, or they can be sent back here to the United States.

For President Obama, Deficits Aren't That Bad
or
Please Let Me Spend For a While Longer
by James Glaser
January 25, 2010

It has only been a year, and it has been reported that President Obama has spent more money than George Bush spent in eight years as President. Well, that spending can get to be a habit, and if President Obama wants to keep the Democrats in control of Congress, he is going to have to spread some money around.

Obama knows the public is worried about the rate our national debt is going up, so he is talking tough about holding down spending. Here is how David Rogers, of Politico.com reported it:

Trying to win the votes of fiscal moderates, President Barack Obama formally endorsed legislation Saturday creating an independent commission with the power to force Congress to vote on major deficit reduction steps this year, after the November elections.

The key phrase here is "after the November elections." So this week, President Obama is asking Congress to raise the debt ceiling another couple of trillion dollars, so he can continue to borrow and spend. That way he can spread money around, and maybe keep the Democrats in control. Besides that, spending is a lot more fun that cutting programs.

Obama knows, and our members of Congress know, that you lose votes if you take away the funding that Washington provides for thousands of programs. That is the main reason the Republicans are pushing so hard for cuts. If the Democrats start cutting off funds now, they will get blamed when all the non-profits start closing their doors.

It really doesn't matter how much we borrow or how much we spend, nor does it matter which political party is in charge, because neither party has the guts to try and balance our country's books.

Fiscal restraint garners no votes. It isn't fun either. So, no matter who is in charge, they are going to ride this spending train all the way to bankruptcy. The only good thing about this ride, is it won't take that long.

So, President Obama, like every other President before him will talk tough, and make promises, but all he will really do is put together some panel, and in the end, he and Congress will ignore whatever they report.

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