The Real March Madness: Obama’s Submits Bracket On Time, But Not Budget
The President has only managed to get his budget submitted on time once out of the five years he has been in office. But how many times have his NCAA tournament brackets been late? Zero. It looked a bit dicey for a while, with many (okay, no one, really) wondering if Obama’s trip to Israel would delay Americans a glimpse at the First Bracket, but crisis averted. Phew.
Never mind that by law the president is obligated to submit a budget by the first Monday in February. We have been told that Obama will to do so only on April 8, two months after the deadline and on the day of the NCAA men’s basketball championship no less. (Can anyone say distraction?)
As usual, White House spokesman Jay Carney is on the case, scolding reporters for worrying their pretty little heads over such trivial things as “the law” and “calendars” last month, urging them to consider “substance over deadlines.” I think we can all agree that the deadlines ship has sailed. As for substance, if his budget is anything like the masterpieces he has presented in the past (you know, the ones even Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid wouldn’t call for a vote on), I wouldn’t be holding my breath. The White House has already applauded Senate Democrats’ pitiful offering, which massively increases taxes, fakes much of its deficit reduction, increases net spending, and never approaches balance, so forgive me if I’m a bit skeptical about the new budget the administration will propagandize as the panacea for our ever-ailing economy.
But I can’t deny Obama his rightful title as a trailblazer: this is the first time since the modern budget process began that the president will have submitted a budget after both the House and the Senate will have completed their own budget processes. Congratulations, Mr. President, for once again paving America on the wrong path in our quest “forward.”
Worthy of note is that three of the states of Obama’s Final Four picks — Louisville, Florida, and my home state of Indiana — have unemployment rates higher than the national average. I’m sure this is the relief for which these states have been desperately yearning.
Now, pointing this out may seem infantile, facetious, and ornery, which is probably why I revel in doing it. However, I feel more than justified pointing out this incongruous action by the Obama administration after he had the audacity to pick MY Indiana Hoosiers to go all the way this year. I ask you, hasn’t the IU program (not to mention IU fans) suffered enough in recent years? Talk about the kiss of death. On the other hand, I can honestly say for the first time that the President has made a decision I can agree with. Go Hoosiers.
Written by Elizabeth Hermesch
