Tone-Deaf in Washington

            Is Washington completely tone-deaf?

            The country is broke, but Washington continues to spend more money than it takes in. The CBO estimates that our debt, which now equals 40% of GDP, will eclipse our entire economy in less than ten years. That means we will soon be bankrupt if we don't change our ways. Yet, here were recent headlines in our media:

            "Leading House Democrats Say Social Security Cuts Are a Non-Starter." And any suggestions to the contrary, I suppose, mean that Republicans want to shove grandma over the cliff.

            "Dems Call for Stimulus in Debt Deal." You gotta be kidding. After wasting close to a trillion dollars in Obama's first stimulus, Democrats want to spend more on programs like Cash for Clunkers? And that's even after Obama admitted, jokingly, that there had been fewer shovel-ready programs than he thought.

            "Lawmakers Grumble over Secret Biden Talks." Have we forgotten the backroom deal that shoved Obamacare down our throats? Already we hear that there won't be enough time to analyze the "Biden deal" before voting on raising the debt ceiling.

            "Families with Income up to $63,000 Eligible for Medicaid." Speaker Pelosi said we needed to pass Obamacare to find out what's in it. Well, now we're finding out.

            "The Tide of War Is Receding." The President is withdrawing 10,000 troops from Afghanistan this summer and another 30,000 next September when fighting is at its peak, but just in time to influence elections. The decision pleases nobody, not those who want us out of Afghanistan now, not the ones who want to stay as long as it takes to win, and certainly not the generals who have advised otherwise. Oh, but the Taliban is pleased, of course, to know what our plans are. Meanwhile, the war in Afghanistan is costing us $6.7 billion a month.

            "Jacob Zuma Snubs Michelle Obama." The First Lady is drawing raves from the mainstream media for her goodwill visit to Africa. But the President of South Africa had it right. He saw her trip for what it really was: another vacation (remember Mexico and Spain). Let's tell it like it is. The highlight of Michelle Obama's trip wasn't a meeting with Nelson Mandela, but a private safari in Botswana. Why else would she take along her daughters, her mother, and her nephew and niece, not to mention an entourage of aides and fawning media? And at what cost to the American taxpayer?

            Haven't we had enough of tone-deaf lawmakers in Congress and royal pretenders in the White House?