>Do you honestly think Obama really had much of an effect on this?
>
>Yes I do. Don't get me wrong, Bush care shar the blame. But Obama and the Democrats in Congress have taken the spending to new heights. It would have been funny if it weren't so sad when Harry Reid was saying how much Nevada needed federal funds to hold their Cowboy Poetry Festival. Give me a break!

Agreed on that. We should not be spending money foolishly.

It's open to interpretation how much of current spending belongs on Obama's doorstep. In addition to the entitlement programs every President inherits, huge amounts of current spending go to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and dealing with the "Great Recession," all of which he inherited. Just saying.

My purpose in posting this message is not to persuade you -- will either of us ever persuade the other? probably not -- but to make a helpful travel suggestion. You and Andy should spend a weekend in Madison this summer. It's a terrific place. The Madison Symphony Orchestra puts on one free concert a month at the Overture, which is close to the Capitol. The next one is on July

THREADUS INTERRUPTUS -- this is what I got trying to look up the details, LOL.

http://www.overturecenter.com/production/free-farmers-market-organ-concert

That is the show I went to this past Saturday, even though the description and date on their site don't match. Stanley was a consummate musician, host, and historian and Eleanor, well, if you're a guy with a brain who doesn't respond to her, Jack, you dead. Amazingly accomplished and composed at a young age. The next show should be four weeks from last Saturday, which would make it Saturday, July 9, presumably at 11 a.m. again. So take in that. Before or after walk over to the farmers market on Capitol Square. You will find not just vegetables and fruit but cookies, granola, meat, and god knows what else from all over the Badger state and environs. Tour the Capitol itself. It's a magnificent building, a little more security conscious now following the troubles over the winter. Walk down State Street to the Memorial Union and have a coke out on the terrace. Watch the boats sail by on Lake Mendota. And you would be hard pressed to find friendlier people anywhere. It's an incredible small city, well worth a couple days of your time.