Will the tough budget deficit decisions be made?
It turns out “agnostic definition” is something Google searchers want to know. My guess is that it doesn’t have all that much to do with religion, which is typically how the word is applied. It does have other uses, though. Courtesy of the New York Times‘ “Word of the Day,” here’s a snapshot:
agnostic •ag-’näs-tik, əg-• noun and adjective
noun: someone who is doubtful or noncommittal about something
noun: a person who claims that they cannot have true knowledge about the existence of God (but does not deny that God might exist)
adjective: of or pertaining to an agnostic or agnosticism
adjective: uncertain of all claims to knowledge
The Obama budget: vocabulary lesson or endless cash loan?
The Swamp recently ran an article with the headline “Obama ‘agnostic’ about deficit solutions.” Getting the tremendous federal deficit under control could easily lead to higher taxes for the middle class, but Obama has vowed not to do this. Instead of committing to one particular idea or strategy, he’s staying “agnostic” and waiting for an idea.
No new taxes, no new cuts?
Obama said to the press that we can’t “cut our way out of this problem.” A combination of tax spurts and cuts on Social Security and Medicare may be the road Obama travels, but he gave Bloomberg no definite indication. Again, he’s remaining “agnostic,” as politicians are wont to do when the cameras are running.
Must… remain… non-committal
I understand political gamesmanship. Obviously, repairing a problem as large as the national debt is a very complex and arduous undertaking. Obama’s proposed budget cuts it down to $ 1.267 trillion, which improves on the $ 1.56 projection – but he’s eyeing $ 727 billion by 2013! Staying agnostic won’t get you far, as some tough decisions have to get made before the 2013 deadline. The recession has only made that road harder to travel, and more people are looking to cash loans than ever. Decide, and stick to it.
