One Nature

Single Note Presidency
As Mr. Obama has before, his budget documents will emphasize that he would support the cost-of-living change, as well as other reductions that Republicans have called for in the popular programs for older Americans, only if Republicans agree to additional taxes on the wealthy and infrastructure investments that the president called for in last year’s offer to Mr. Boehner. (NYT, 4/4/2013)

Having already achieved success in raising taxes on the rich, Obama now wants to raise taxes on the rich again. We eagerly await wealthy Liberals stepping up and declaring that they are once more prepared to pay more taxes. The good news is that Obama may be willing to put entitlement reform on the table, but Republicans would be wise to be wary of a bait-and-switch. 


Trapped
When the police were able to defuse the traps and search his apartment, they found ammunition and explosives, role-playing computer games and a Batman mask, according to the documents. (NYT, 4/4/2013)

What can we expect from Liberals given this disclosure of the contents of the apartment of mass murderer James Holmes? 

An all-out drive to ban Halloween masks! (And never mind about those video games...)


Wade in the Water
The White House will also wade into the thorny issue of disability- and unemployment-insurance benefits. It will propose barring Americans from collecting unemployment benefits and disability benefits that cover the same period of time. Americans collecting unemployment benefits are supposed to be able to prove they are looking for work, and Americans collecting Social Security disability benefits are supposed to be able to prove they are unable to work. Social Security administrative law judges have complained in recent years that a number of people seeking disability benefits are simultaneously either applying for or collecting unemployment checks. (WSJ, 4/5/2013)

Great news, right?

Well yes, until you realize that this fraud has actually been going on! Then you get very angry.

And Republicans are criticized for talking about entitlement abuse....


Good Neighbors
If the president tells you that fences don’t work, ask him why he has one around the White House. (Charles Krauthammer, Washington Post, 4/4/2013)

Best line from Krauthammer column on immigration reform.