A step in the right direction

There's a lot of criticism swirling around in Washington these days over President Obama and how he seems to have lost his mojo. Sworn in as the greatest communicator since Ronald Reagan, many expected this political wunderkind to step right in and clean up the messes both parties have made through the years, chief among them the spending orgies of years gone by.
 
Fast-forward two short years and it looks like the dorm RA that was Obama turned into just another freshman away from home drinking everything he could get his hands on — including the aftershave his parents gave him — in search of that eternal spending buzz you get when you cross the Potomac.
 
Then the 2010 elections happened, and Obama was labeled as the great communicator who couldn't. No matter what message he tried to convey, the words didn't seem to resonate with the average American.

So credit this president for actually backing some words with action. I'm referring specifically to the president's announcement yesterday that he is freezing all pay hikes for federal workers for the next two years. While many pundits quickly claimed the gesture would only net about $28 billion over the next five years, I stand up and proudly say, "It's about time! Let's keep taking those steps toward austerity."

Frankly, everyone concerned about the runaway train this country is on should applaud the president's actions. We need to look at every measure of austerity as we do with tax relief in any form — every little bit helps. And for every dollar that is, in this case, not spent, that's one less dollar we'll need to borrow or burden on our children in the future.
 
After all, Obama is responsible for growing the federal government, and now he's stepping up and saying we need to freeze how much we spend on public workers. Heck, even the Castros in Cuba have made similar moves in months past.

Armstrong Williams is on Sirius/XM Power 169, 7-8 p.m. and 4-5 a.m., Monday through Friday. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/arightside, and follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/arightside.