In Defense Of The Freeze

Andrew offers one:

The importance of Obama's fiscal pivot is two-fold. The first is that, after the spendthrift Bush years and the fiscally crippling but necessary response to the recession, it's the right thing to do. Given the precarious state of the world economy and the fragility of the dollar, it's actually an urgent thing to do. And again, the real issue is long-term entitlements and defense and the collapse of the revenue stream. If we do not fix this soon, the next generation can say goodbye to any prosperous future.

The second element is political. It is simply astonishing that the GOP is now posing as a party of fiscal responsibility. It's like Bristol Palin campaigning against teen pregnancy. They cannot be allowed to get away with this canard without a thorough accounting of their own profound responsibility for the current state of affairs. Obama was forced to spend in his first year to avoid a second Great Depression. He must be careful not to overdo it and risk a double dip. But he must make solvent government his core objective and he must pound that home day after day, even as he also focuses on jobs. Without that kind of reform, no one should have long term faith in the US economy - because its political system is failing it.

Andrew also notes that it's largely a symbolic measure, but has faith that Obama will eventually move to the hard choices around defense and entitlement. I don't know. I think the way Obama has evidently decided to fold on health-care leaves me with little faith that he'll actually do the hard work. 

It is, potentially, like this with all presidents. And I heard his point the other day about being happy with serving as a great one-termer. But I'm struggling to understand what he deeply, truly believes in. What he believes must be done right now. What he'd fall on his sword for. Again, maybe it's this way with all presidents, and maybe my larger beef is with electoral politics. I'll sort it out over the next few weeks.

All I know is when I read things like this, I just feel like, "what's the point?"