Kudos to IRS, Brick bats to Obama

There were some issues with one of my past tax returns. I called IRS to clear things up. The agent who answered was very nice and professional, and she took care of my concerns easily and to my satisfaction. Even though I had to wait for a few minutes to get the person, I had a very pleasant experience. Thanks- tax dollars at productive work.

Obama is trying to please everybody, and making speeches and policies that appear to display his "I am an average Joe" persona rather than substance. Ms. Maureen Dowd, in her usual erudite and biting form, writes that "...But often, when the cameras are rolling, Mr. Obama puts his organic tea aside and makes a show of heading for the nearest greasy spoon. He boosted the business of Ray’s Hell Burger in Arlington, Va., after he took Joe Biden there in a monster motorcade for lunch and ordered a cheeseburger with Dijon mustard (a spicy detail that amused Republicans). When Brian Williams did his day-at-the-White House special two weeks ago, the president took the anchor to a Five Guys burger joint. He ordered himself a cheeseburger and fries and, in an extravagant attempt to prove his meaty regular guydom, brought back $80 worth of burgers and fries in a greasy bag for White House staffers. (After a tour of the Sphinx in Egypt, the president evoked his love of red meat again, saying “Five Guys was good. This is better.”) Michelle sometimes takes her staff on impromptu lunch trips to Five Guys or other burger and barbeque spots. Mr. Obama ostentatiously treats himself to fries and burgers to beef up his average-Joe image (even though he’s anything but). Yet maybe when Charlie Gibson and Diane Sawyer come next week to broadcast a special on health care from inside the White House, the president should forgo the photo-op of the grease-stained bovine bag and take the TV stars out for what he really wants and America really needs: some steamed fish with a side of snap peas."