Putting Straw Men Back to Work

[Geee]

American Spectator:


If non sequiturs could create jobs, an economic boom would soon be upon us. Trying to sell Congress on his jobs agenda before the NFL season's opening kickoff, President Obama uncorked a combative stemwinder filled with odd inferences and false choices.

"Sell" might be an inapt word. The president repeatedly demanded that Congress heed his will on the grandly named American Jobs Act: "You should pass it right away." In this Capitol Hill campaign rally, Obama rather transparently dared Republicans to reject his proposal so he can run against them as a "Do Nothing Congress" next year.

By one estimate, the stimulus package's Mini Me consists of $260 billion in tax cuts, $140 billion in new infrastructure spending, and $60 billion in additional unemployment insurance. The president wants us to hire teachers like South Korea, build high-speed rail like Communist China, and party like it's 1999."Should we keep tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires?" Obama asked. "Or should we put teachers back to work so our kids can graduate ready for college and good jobs?"

So on the one hand, the plan cuts taxes. There is payroll tax relief and tax credits for creating new jobs. But this is to be paid for by raising taxes on oil companies and Americans greedy enough to earn more than $250,000 a year, presumably on the grounds that neither of these tax hike targets ever create jobs.

Fear not, this bill is paid for. You know, with these tax increases. And with extra spending cuts to be determined by Congress and the super committeee. And with a This Time We Mean It deficit reduction plan, to be introduced later.

"The agreement we passed in July will cut government spending by about $1 trillion over the next ten years," Obama said. "It also charges this Congress to come up with an additional $1.5 trillion in savings by Christmas. Tonight, I'm asking you to increase that amount so that it covers the full cost of the American Jobs Act."