What would you think of a man who knew he was not well for more than a year before assembling a team of experts, who then spent seven months to diagnose a fatal but treatable disease and recommend a comprehensive cure?

Would you consider the man prudent? Sensible? Cautious? what would you say about the same man if, four months after learning the diagnosis and cure, he rejected the diagnosis of his hand-picked experts, leaving the disease untreated. but he promised that, if his condition did not improve in another three years, he would assemble a new team of experts to diagnose his condition and recommend treatment?

Most people would have little sympathy for a fatal act of denial by an nonserious man.

that story is a metaphor for the scenario that played out in President Barack Obama’s April 13 speech on spending, the deficits and debt. America faces a sovereign debt crisis, but in his speech, Obama prescribed palliative care until America as we know it dies or until he’s re-elected, whichever comes first. Obama appears more concerned about the latter.

Long-term debt may destroy America, but short-term economic uncertainty and joblessness could rule out a second Obama term. Obama appears determined to obscure the crisis and mask the uncertainty ahead of the next presidential election.

in early 2010, Obama appointed the National Commission for Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, called the Bowles-Simpson Commission for its bipartisan co-chairmen. the commission met last April to address spending and debt.

on December 1, the commission delivered its diagnosis and proposed a six-part plan “to put our nation back on a path to fiscal health, promote economic growth and protect the most vulnerable among us.”

in synopsis, the Obama-appointed commission confirmed that the national debt is indeed a huge problem and that, if not treated immediately, debt would have severe negative consequences for America. the co-chairmen agreed that the debt resulted from government overspending, not too little revenue. the commission’s report said that all spending, especially entitlement spending, must be brought under control, and that the best way to increase revenues is through tax reform.

the commission’s diagnosis was simple. but its prescribed treatment was difficult, inconvenient and occasionally painful, because the treatment included mitigating the unsustainable spiraling costs of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

in his speech, given more than four months after the commission’s findings were released and more than two years after acknowledging the problem, the president not only rejected his commission’s diagnosis and prescription, he denied the disease by urging that America double down on the spending that caused its symptoms.

Obama proposed only to address deficits by raising taxes, an act to which he applied the Orwellian description “spending reductions in the tax code.” in Washington, raising taxes means spending increases, never paying down debt. Effectively, the president recommended that we borrow less money by taking more from taxpayers and ignoring the issue of overspending and the existing debt.

Obama pledged that, if he were unsuccessful in reducing the deficit to manageable levels by 2014 (two years after his re-election to a second term) he would act by appointing another commission to diagnose the problem and propose solutions, anticipating that its prescription would be to raise taxes again. Another commission. Really?

Older Americans will remember the “Wimpy” character in Popeye cartoons who often pleaded, “I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.”

Obama’s speech was eerily reminiscent of Wimpy’s something-for-nothing appeal for instant gratification.

Obama said he wants to “invest” (Washington-speak for “spend”) more and raise taxes to pay for the additional spending. the president wants us to accept his uncertain, unlikely prediction of a smaller debt but with a certain, far larger government. the two are incompatible. and larger government always infringes on personal liberties.

More importantly, the president’s speech effectively admitted that, other than mouthing deceptive, formulaic platitudes, his administration has no plan for addressing the existential threat of an ever-increasing American national debt.

Obama’s hand-picked bipartisan commission proposed spending reforms to restore fiscal responsibility. House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan has proposed another set of reforms. in the absence of presidential leadership, these two models will necessarily shape the financial debate in Washington.

because of the office he holds, Obama is a consequential man, but his positions on spending, deficits and debt confirm that he is not a serious one.

the findings of the Bowles-Simpson Commission can be read online here:

fiscalcommission.gov/sites/fiscalcommission.gov/files/documents/TheMomentofTruth12_1_2010.pdf.

Rep. Paul Ryan’s reforms are here:

paulryan.house.gov/UploadedFiles/PathToProsperityFY2012.pdf.

Shenk was involved in Frank Ryan’s campaign for U.S. Congress. he is co-editor of the Rebuilding America, Federalist Papers 2 website, federalistpapers2.org Email

Praise him for following doctor's orders.
Offer to do chores and run errands.
Ask him how he is feeling.
Express your sympathy for his pain.

Express sympathy and ask if there is anything you could do to help out. ( Chores, run errands)