The Deficit Reduction

It is more than time for the Congress to reduce subsidies, like for owner of executive jets, deduction of interest on mortgage on yachts, subsidies on ethanol that just make the price of corn to get higher generating inflation, reducing subsidies on agriculture, specially after more than 3 years, and specially the last 2 with great profits for farmers due to very high prices of grains and other farm products. Why not increase tax on cigarettes? And alcohol? People won't smoke or drink less, but will increase government revenues.

Obama and the debt limit negotiation and budget deficit

Obama inherited a heavy burden. People forget that he took-up a crisis that exploded 1.3 years before he took office. People forget that the government helped most of the banks and insurance companies, specially AIG. It is true that Obama should have done more and applied funds more effectively while he had majority in Congress. Wasted opportunity. It is also true that he is not a leader (my opinion and I am in the minority), and it is also very true that he was a community organizer and had never been an executve, of corporation, or mayor, or governor, therefore totally without executive experience (and so didn't have McCain). First Obama spent too much time with the healthcare program, well this was his aim and so many presidents, including Reagan and other republicans failed. Then he spent too much campaigning, after he took office, being all the time on TV and traveling instead of working hard and focusing on the existing problems, then he continued trying to accomodate situation instead of taking up leadership and making things happen.
Well, having said that, now, mid July, it is time for him to slam the desk and be a leader, say with clear voice that the debt limit needs to be increased and the consequences of what would happen, as Geithner did a few days ago, and then he needs to be clear that it is not possible to reduce deficit only cutting expenses, in the middle of a recession or very slow recovery, and don't eliminate the non-sense benefits and subsidies, not say actual tax increases.
Mr. President, it is time for you to take office and stop campaigning.