A Quick Thought on the "Spending Freeze"

When I first read the chyrons "Obama Proposes Spending Freeze" I thought, "Uh-oh. Here comes 1937 when we haven't even gotten to 1936." But after watching The Rachel maddow Show last night and her interview with Jard Bernstein, I thought of the scene from Dave when Kevin Kline playing the fake president goes line by line in the budget during a committee meeting to find $550 million to save some children's program, complete with long hand math including all the zeros in the millions saved.

The problem is the phrase "spending freeze" and comparing it to McCain campaign plan. His plan was a spending freeze across the board, whereas Bernstein explained on Maddow that there were going to look for places where they could cut and in some cases, increase certain programs. I mean, hell, what's the point of a new jobs bill if you're not going to fund it? There's likely billions in wasteful spending that they can cut were it not for special interest lobbyists on all sides. The problem lies in what Congress will do with this plan once it's in their greedy little hands.

This also seems like populist talk and maybe it's designed with some spin to pick up a couple of points in the approval polls.

I'm sure we'll here more about it tomorrow in President Obama's first State of the Union Address (who's taking bets on what Republican is going to embarrass him/herself?).