Free Republic

President Barack Obama launched his reelection campaign with a firm slap at efficiency as the cause of the nation’s economic doldrums. “While the pursuit of efficiency may serve selfish interests it is a body blow to the nation’s collective well-being,” the President asserted. “Saving time or money may help the individual, but it hurts the opportunity of others who need to make a living.” “Automated systems that save a person time also eliminate job opportunities for others,” Obama pointed out. “If you go online to book a trip you are costing a travel agent a job. If you use e-mail...

The so-called Super Committee composed of a dozen members of Congress failed to agree upon the required $1.2 trillion cut to planned increases in federal expenditures for the next decade. The sequestration that will now kick in will hold the increase in federal spending to $1.6 trillion dollars between 2013 and 2021. The fact that the amount of spending will continue to expand regardless of whether the Super Committee accomplished anything was belittled by Press Secretary Jay Carney. “The impact of anything they might’ve done is minor compared to the fact that they failed to do anything,” Carney explained. “It...

MSNBC’s Keith Olberman came out against the President’s compromise tax package calling it “fundamentally wrong and misguided.” “What are the rich going to do with the taxes they don’t have to pay?” Olberman asked. “They’re not going to spend it. They’ve already got more than they can spend. They’re probably going to put it into stocks and bonds. This doesn’t help the economy at all.” “It’s unemployment compensation that really drives the economy,” Olberman contended. “Virtually every dollar we pump into unemployment benefits is spent—generating income for vendors of goods and services throughout the economy. We need to get more...

The Republican Party’s effort to clarify its stand prior to November’s election by issuing what it calls its “Pledge to America” was met by universal scorn from the Democratic Party and its allies. White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer called the Pledge’s plan to cut taxes and trim federal spending “wrong for America. If this economic crisis has taught us anything it’s that we need more government now than we ever have in this nation’s history.” Pfeiffer characterized Republican contentions that individuals and businesses would do a better job with their money than the government would “ludicrous.” “The idea that...

Watch live.