When Will Government Have To Sacrifice?

I did not watch Obama's press conference. I find it much more interesting to read the transcript. This is a good way to look for substance and ignore the "style" or lack thereof.

Early in the PC, a reporter asked this question:

Thank you, Mr. President. Some have compared this financial crisis to a war, and in times of war past Presidents have called for some form of sacrifice. Some of your programs, whether for Main Street or Wall Street, have actually cushioned the blow for those that were irresponsible during this -- during this economic period of prosperity, or supposed prosperity that you were talking about. Why, given this new era of responsibility that you're asking for, why haven't you asked for something specific that the public should be sacrificing to participate in this economic recovery?

Obama's response meandered all over the page. Truly, as I read his non answer to the question, I heard the principal from Billy Madison in my head:

Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

Americans are sacrificing daily. People are losing jobs and watching their savings evaporate. We are seeing the greatest power grab in the history of America by a President and political party that do not believe in liberty. We watch in horror as they are sacrificing the wealth of future generations on bailouts and social experiments.

Where are the "tough budgetary decisions" that Obama talks about when his is the largest budget EVER? What are the benefits of "investments" in health care, energy and education when government has proven they can do NONE of these things any better than the private sector, and certainly not any cheaper.

Obama claims that he will "invest in those things that will allow the American people's capacity for ingenuity and innovation, their ability to take risks but make sure that those risks are grounded in good products and good services that they believe they can market to the rest of the country -- that those models of economic growth are what we're promoting. And that's what I think our budget does."

But raising taxes discourages risk and punishes those that will, or could be, innovators. The true inventors and risk takers do not need government handouts to be successful. They need government, yes, that means you Mr. President, out of their pockets and out of their freakin' way!

So I humbly ask this question. At what point does government sacrifice? When will we see Congress cut their staff or lower their pay and benefits? When will we see the White House cut staff or reduce budgets or eliminate wasteful programs? When will we see worthless Federal bureaucracies like education shut down and that money be turned over to the children in the form of vouchers so they can get out of failing government-run indoctrination centers?

Mr President, when will government have to sacrifice something, anything? Because all I see is a bloated, pathetic government that never stops growing and continually makes life more miserable for everyone. Is that hope? Is that change?