Anyone want to try to tackle this teaparty tripe?:

[The Backlash Cometh]

"Austerity" has become the zeitgeist that is sweeping the Western world at every level of government; from here in Florida and other states throughout the country to across the pond in merry old England (maybe a little less merry these days). As revenues have declined because of the recession-ravaged world economy, governments have been forced to prioritize and make tough decisions by slashing popular programs and reducing the size of their workforce. This holds equally true for Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Legislature.

Though, there has been one notable exception to this trend - the federal government.

This idiosyncrasy is most curious considering the president has sought to mimic European social democracy here at home and yet refuses to do so as the Old World pulls itself from the brink of a cataclysmic sovereign debt crisis. Throughout 2009 and 2010, Americans were horrified at Washington's spending volcano and resolved to prevent further damage to the nation's finances.

In 2010, a resurgent Republican Party, fueled by conservative Tea Party activists, swept the country with a mandate to bring government spending under control. Here in Florida, voters made their preference known by electing state leaders on such a platform. To their credit, our state leadership has done the unthinkable: they've kept to it. But in this Age of Austerity, it wasn't painless or popular.

http://www.seminolechronicle.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2011/08/31/4e5eb105a41f2

[EstimatedProphet]

1. So why does Obama have a smaller federal workforce than Reagan?

[The Backlash Cometh]

2. Go ahead and give it a shot.

[rfranklin]

3. Americans are only shocked by spendingbecause that is the propaganda...

They think that it means spending on someone else...welfare queens, illegal aliiens, etc.
When theyare suddenly faced with huge cuts in Medicare and SS they will realllyy be shocked because "austerity" is for them and not for the uberwealthy. Dopes!

[Curmudgeoness]

4. Do you want us to tackle this so you can write a LTTE?

Because I think that if you have issues with this op-ed, you should put our efforts to a good cause, not just discussion on DU.

So, should we work on this or is it just for our delight?

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. Cut the middleman out.

I put the link in there so you could respond to it directly, if you so desired. I'm sure others can speak more directly and effectively about the counterpoints--better than I can.

[sinkingfeeling]

6. What 'spending volcano'?

[HopeHoops]

7. How about this: "KISS MY HAIRY ASS and CALL IT YOUR DINNER!"

Not quite "let them eat cake", but close.