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On Monday during the White House Press Briefing Robert Gibbs dodged questions from AP Reporter Jennifer Loven and ABC’s White House Correspondent, Jack Tapper. A Video of the exchange is available at Real Clear Politics. At issue, the $100 Million in budget cuts that Barack Obama requested from his Cabinet - (Granted he said it was just a “drop in the bucket) – a transcript of the exchange:
JENNIFER LOVEN, AP: The $100 million target figure that the president talked about today with the Cabinet; can you explain why so small? I know he talked about -- you know, you add up 100 million and 100 million, and eventually, you get somewhere, but it would take an awfully long time to add up hundred million (inaudible) in the deficit. Why not target a bigger number?
GIBBS: (Smiling) Well, I think only in Washington, D.C. is a hundred million dollars...
LOVEN: The deficit's very large. It's not a joke.
GIBBS: No, I'm...
LOVEN: The deficit's giant. $100 million really is only a step.
GIBBS: But no joke.
LOVEN: You sound like you're joking about it, but it's not funny.
GIBBS: I'm not making jokes about it. I'm being completely sincere that only in Washington, D.C. is $100 million not a lot of money. It is where I'm from. It is where I grew up. And I think it is for hundreds of millions of Americans.
LOVEN: The point is it's not a very big portion of the deficit.
TAPPER: You were talking about an appropriations bill a few weeks ago about $8 billion being minuscule -- $8 billion in earmarks. We were talking about that and you said that that...
GIBBS: Well, in terms of -- in...(CROSSTALK)
TAPPER: ...$100 million is a lot but $8 billion is small?
In the grand scheme of things, with the earmarks included in this budget in the billions, Obama should be telling those members of Congress and the Senate to start eliminating earmarks post-haste. A primary example would be Senator Diane Feinstein (CA-D), requested $25 billion for a firm that awarded a contract to her husband. It’s only money, taxpayers money, and the taxpayers are fed up with both parties abuse of the public trust – from bumbling Barney Frank (D-MA) and Mortgage Mogul Chris Dodd’s (D-CT) mismanagement of financials, to Harry Reid’s high speed train from Vegas to Disney; the never ending list of earmarks reads like a monopoly game run amok.
The Tea Party’s held across the country on April 15th, may have given, Obama advisor and Political Kingmaker (Duval Patrick Governor (D-MA) and Barack Obama), David Axelrod the “hebbie jebbies” –
Axelrod was asked on CBS's "Face the Nation" about the "spreading and very public disaffection" with the president's fiscal policies seen at the "Tea Party" rallies around the country last week.
"I think any time you have severe economic conditions there is always an element of disaffection that can mutate into something that's unhealthy," Axelrod said.
One has to wonder how Mr. Axelrod, and his friends at what has become known as MSDNCby conservatives, will react when the Tax Day Tea Party takes to the road in a planned March on Washington DC on September 12. (suggested – road trip) Permits have been secured, and this grassroots organization which managed to mobilize an estimated 800,000 non-violent protesters on April 15th, will send another message to Washington regarding fiscal responsibility, or the lack thereof. Freedom Works, a Washington based Conservative Think Tax, has an outstanding Board of Directors, including Steve Forbes of Forbes Magazine and former House Majority Leader, Dick Armey. There is a link on the website homepage which allows one to sign-up for the March in September (suggested). It might be interesting to see the next Janet Napolitano Homeland Security Missive, naming publishers, investors, and former House Speakers as possible domestic terrorist, right along with those dangerous pro-life Christians.
A side note: The Tax Day Tea Party’s that were held across the nation were organized by several groups, Freedom Works being one of the most prevalent sponsors. The events were bi-partisan and included individuals from all parties. For enthusiastic coverage of the Chicago Tea Party Event visit; Hillbuzz.org, a moderate Democrat blog.
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