This week, Barack Obama unveiled his budget proposal. Among the lowlights is a proposal to  cut Social Security and Medicare in exchange for a few very modest tax increases on the wealthy. And that's just his opening bargaining position. 

I decided to conduct a little experiment. I'd watch or listen to some mainstream news, such as CBS or NPR during prime news time(early morning and late afternoon), and see how many times the media mentioned this very important news. For the most part...(crickets). 

Almost two months ago, I wrote a post about the assault on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program(SNAP), more commonly known by its original name, Food Stamps. Recent days have revealed more details about the ruling classes' actual strategy in doing so, from both "conservative" and "liberal" directions. 

Three years ago, the Supreme Court, in what Keith Olbermann correctly called "Our Dred Scott," ruled that corporations had all of the rights of human beings and, more importantly, that  any attempt to limit their campaign contributions violated their First Amendment right to free speech in the infamous 5-4 Citizens United v. FEC decision. 

Since then, there has been a growing movement to overturn that decision. Today, on Democracy Now!, thanks to a college NPR station on my way home from work, I heard the following exchange:

In my last update, Kasich had a 3-0 lead:

http://my.firedoglake.com/ohiogringo/2012/12/13/post-election-progressiv...

Congratulations, Obama fans! He finally scored on the Barbarian's tally! He proposed legislation to ban military-style assault rifles, limit the size of magazines, and expand background checks to close the notorious gun show loophole. He might even be serious. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. Well done, Mr President. Push hard, and some of this will actually be enacted, even by this Congress, into law.

Then, today, Republican Governor John Kasich of Ohio came out with his proposed budget. He scored with me by proposing the following:

1. A real small business income tax cut. Half of the first $750, 000 of business income, or $375,000 is exempt from the state income tax. As a Socialist, I'm not totally in favor of this, but it is progressive in its way. It clearly helps out local merchants and start ups, green grocers and farmer's markets and repair shops and bookstores and the like. And it definitely does not give away the store to large corporations.

In just a few hours from now, a travesty will happen. President Barack Obama will publicly begin his second term by taking the oath of office while placing his hand on the Reverend Martin Luther King's Bible, and on the holiday that was set aside to honor the latter to boot. If such a thing as sympathetic magic or a wrathful God really existed, either the Bible or the President would burst into flame.