Tom McClintock & the CBO:

Here, my 4th Fornicalia District representative, Tom McClintock, questions the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Director Douglas Elmendorf in a House Budget Committee hearing which occurred last week:



Pressed with questions, the overall economic outlook under Mr Obama according to the CBO Director doesn't appear to be quite so rosy, now, as compared to inauguration day.

Rep. McClintock also skewers -- and rightly so -- GW Bush for his profligate spending in terms of a contrast and comparison.

"This recovery has been very unusually weak by US historical experience," Mr Elmendorf admits.

Make no mistake: history and experience tends to illustrate that one should not come unarmed to an open session with Mr McClintock. Whereas some people quantify Newt Gingrich as "the smartest man in the room," I would offer Mr McClintock as the Actual Smartest Man in the Room in terms of DC budgets today. As opposed to some personnel, he needs no TelePrompter or rarified air.

Attempting to argue budget and history with Mr McClintock is akin to a man wielding a rock vs an opponent with a Barrett .50 cal sniper rifle at a thousand yards.

Not much of a contest, really.

BZ