Quote of the Day (so far):
Rep. Maxine Waters of California, a 22-year House veteran and ranking Democrat on the Financial Services Committee, this week warned of "over 170 million jobs that could be lost." That's actually more jobs than America has, and it's little comfort to say, "But she's a famous idiot," because Washington is actually full of famous idiots who are making serious decisions about how the sequester cuts are to be applied.
–Peggy Noonan in the Wall Street Journal
Noonan points out something new about the sequester: everybody seems to realize that President Obama is playing games with it. He displays a lack of interest in fixing problems and a flair for hyperbole aimed at frightening people into doing what he wants them to do.
While I have learned to love the sequester, I am not one of those fiscal conservatives ready to call this a turning point. No matter what the president does or doesn’t do about the sequester, he continues to be the darling of mainstream press, which still has immense power in forming the public opinion.
And if you don’t believe that the President Protection Program is still in effect, witness their turning on Watergate icon Bob Woodward. (By the way, I think Woodward did a great thing when he showed where the sequester originated, and I love it that he is blowing the whistle on White House press intimidation. Woodward claims to be doing this for the sake younger, more vulnerable reporters. But the problem isn’t that the White House bullies—politicians always bully, and journalists should be able to stand up to it–but rather the press’ willing compliance.)