Last Call

Well, Wednesday ought to be interesting.

In a speech Wednesday, Mr. Obama will propose cuts to entitlement programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, and changes to Social Security, a discussion he has largely left to Democrats and Republicans in Congress. He also will call for tax increases for people making over $250,000 a year, a proposal contained in his 2012 budget, and changing parts of the tax code he thinks benefit the wealthy.

"Every corner of the federal government has to be looked at here," David Plouffe, a senior White House adviser, said Sunday in one of multiple television appearances. "Revenues are going to have to be part of this," he said, referring to tax increases.

But all the Very Serious people in Washington are now in agreement:  Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security have to be cut.  I'm very interested to see where the numbers fall on the President's plan as opposed to the Ryan Unicorn Plan and the Catfood Commission.  The Obama plan will have uncomfortable cuts in it.  It has to be, you see...or it's not "serious" enough.

Yes, the plan calls on ending the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy.  That alone assures the plan will be ignored by the Very Serious, since the GOP will make the same play they did at the end of last year, and will win.

Still, hey, let's look at the details, supposedly out in the next 48 hours or so.  Obama might surprise us.  It's not like the Republican plan is going anywhere, and Obama has to release a plan of his own.

So, let's see your cards, Mr. President.