This piece was reprinted by OpEd News with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.
Cutting spending will "invest in our future." How he didn't say. "This is good news for the American people," naming supposed benefits, in fact, entirely absent.
Disingenuously he added:
"Reducing spending while investing in the future is just common sense. That's what families do in tough times. They sacrifice where they can, even if it's hard, to afford what's really important."
With Main Street in deep depression, they've sacrificed plenty because Washington ignores them, spending recklessly on militarism, imperial wars, and lavish handouts to Wall Street and other corporate favorites - sacrosanct untouchable budget (off-budget, and hidden) priorities excluded from compromise.
A real one would have waged war on concentrated wealth and power, slashed defense spending radically, notably by ending imperial wars and occupations, replaced today's dysfunctional tax code with a progressive one, guaranteed a living wage for everyone and enough income for the indigent, as well as other socially beneficial measures. In fact, no responsible policies were considered, just reactionary ones agreed to with much more to come.
On April 8, New York Times writer Carl Hulse headlined, "Deal to Cut $38 Billion Averts Shutdown," saying:
Republicans and Obama "headed off a shutdown of the government with less than two hours to spare Friday night under a tentative budget" sellout to working Americans hurt most, described as a "compromise."
Even Obama admitted, "Programs people rely on will be cut back," saying they'll have to begin "liv(ing) within (their) means" or, in other words, do without vital services eroded or lost ahead of much greater ones coming. He practically bragged, in fact, about "making the largest annual spending cut in our history" on the backs of those least able to afford it.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).