Politicians Should Say What They Mean and Mean What They Say

I'm going to give President Obama the same advice that I gave President Bush, and if he ignores it like Bush did, he can say goodbye to those great approval ratings, too.

Here's the one thing: America needs politicians to say what they mean and mean what they say.

Take Obama's speech Tuesday night. There are at least three times when Obama said one thing, but he and his progressive friends are doing something else.

Here's what he said:

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PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Everyone in this chamber — Democrats and Republicans — will have to sacrifice some worthy priorities for which there are no dollars. And that includes me.

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OK, great. Obama says he's going to cut back and, if that's truly the case, you can count me in. But in the same speech he proposed additional spending for a cure for cancer in our lifetime, national health care reform, overhauling Social Security and a tax-free universal savings account for everyone.

I think I also heard college for everyone? And though he's vague on exactly how much he's going to put into all of these proposals, estimates run well into the trillions.

Next is the president's populist rant against to evil, greedy CEOs:

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OBAMA: This time, CEOs won't be able to use taxpayer money to pad their paychecks or buy fancy drapes or disappear on a private jet. Those days are over.

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Really? Well, if they're over for CEOS, are they also over for politicians? Sen. Dianne Feinstein flies cross-country on her husband's private jet at $20,000 each way. Even Obama is flying way better than first class. Thanks to George Bush, he's getting a fleet of two dozen new helicopters at a total taxpayer cost of $11.2 billion.

Again, it's nothing short of hypocritical. But Obama's not done yet. Ask yourself, what's wrong with this next statement?

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OBAMA: I'm proud that we passed a recovery plan free of earmarks.

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Wait... what?

Are you using a foreign language dictionary to define the word "earmarks," because that could be the only possible way you think that statement is true.

The spending bill has $2 billion batteries, $800 million for carbon capture projects and more than $3 million for new uniforms for the Transportation Security Administration.

Obama is just playing word games; it's like Bill Clinton trying to redefine the word "is" all over again.

If it looks like an earmark and smells like an earmark, it's an earmark! It's like sex, we all know what it is.

These people are shameless. While we're making difficult choices, it's like they're at a party — they should have showed up in party hats. Speaker Pelosi just announced the yearly spending bill and there are $3.8 billion going to special projects — aka "pork," aka "earmarks," no matter what your definition of "is" is — including $200,000 for a "tattoo removal violence prevention outreach program."

Yesterday, I told you that the real shortage we have in this country isn't in dollars, it's in values and principles; like honesty and integrity before there's no more trust left in the bank. Tuesday night, I think you saw exactly what I meant by that.

In the end, anything that happens is our fault, including me. We need to learn the difference between hearing a speech and really listening.

What do you think? Send your comments to: glennbeck@foxnews.com

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