If you happened to catch the Sunday morning interview of David Axelrod on Meet the Press by host David Gregory, then you heard an endless stream of misinformation by Obama’s chief campaign strategist. The topics ranged from how the bailouts saved the auto companies and help lift them to record earnings to the complete turnaround of the economy with a significant initiative being in the energy sector. What he conveniently forgot to mention is the fact that General Motors still owes we the people/taxpayers nearly half a billion dollars in unpaid stimulus cash. He failed to mention the biggest energy sector boondoggle to date, the abysmal failure of Solyndra. Yet he insisted that clean energy is the foundation for taking the economy to the next level–yeah, down the tubes.

He used inaccurate rhetoric in claiming that Obama was hamstrung by by the economic policies of the former administration, yet he failed to mention that this administration had total control in Washington for his first two years in office. So what were they waiting for, why didn’t they change the rules they now claim caused the economic meltdown? This is exactly the kind of hollow, ineffective, divisive political pandering the general public/voters are tired of hearing.

The sad truth for us and our country is the lack of positive change that’s resulted from the lame actions and false claims of success. The results have been essentially dismal, and small businesses and corporations are continuing to hold guarded positions about expansion and hiring, the exact opposite effect we’re led to believe when hearing the White House “happy news” on a weekly basis. The country remains on the brink of failure and outright economic global collapse if we remain of the current path of adding more inept rules and regulations that inhibit growth and continue stripping individual rights.

I’m not a frequent flyer these days, and the few trips that I have taken don’t make me yearn for another opportunity to fly any time soon.

The problem begins, and often ends, when checking airfares. Dinking around on Google can result in a wide array of posted ticket prices, but that’s merely the beginning of a final cost nightmare. While there have been some taxes on airline tickets for years, the current array of add-on charges will make your eyes glaze over and, if it was physically possible, cause steam to come out of your ears from frustration and outright agitation. Here are several examples of what the feds have now mandated for “up front” disclosure, but that doesn’t mean you’re gonna like them any more than you did when discovering them at the final stage of the process when payment is due: government excise tax, government segment fees, September 11th security fees, and airport passenger facility charges.

It used to be an easy proposition getting a non-stop flight to most major cities, but not these days. This is likely due in part because the feds have quietly “encouraged” airlines to segment their flight to accommodate the government segment fee. That’s right, every time that plane lands, even if you aren’t required to get off the plane, that fee is tacked onto the price of your ticket. But why? When I called several airlines the answers I got were essentially the same; “Because we’re required to charge it…” That answer was obviously directed by some government bureaucrat that probably flies on a private plane, not a commercial one.

And what the heck is a passenger facility charge?! Yes, it is as absurd as it implies; it’s a charge for the privilege of being able to access the inner sanctum of the airport, that magical area beyond the security checkpoint. I suppose in reality it’s an up front payment for the potential of being groped by a TSA agent who came to work in a bad mood.

Yep, things just keep getting better and easier when it comes to commercial air travel, and that pretty much explains why politicians will continue doing everything in their power to avoid using the same type of air transportation as the “commoners.,” commonly known as taxpayers. As usual, the joke is on us, but most of us aren’t laughing…

During the State of the Union address the President’s made a pledge for closing tax loopholes on the wealthy, and in theory that sounds like a reasonable initiative. However, that would almost assuredly guarantee the elimination of the mortgage interest tax deduction, the charitable gifts deduction and to a lesser extent the state and local tax deduction, and each of these is economically helpful to mainstream taxpayers. But he did insist that he would sign legislation that would make a politician’s investments subject to the same insider-trading restrictions, conflict of interest rules and penalties that are imposed on regular taxpayers. While long overdue, it should be a completely supportable action by Congress. We’ll see…

He also called for action that would reduce the size of government and eliminate the redundancy of a number of agencies. But then he promptly announced the formation of a new mortgage crisis unit that will be headed by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. The unit’s mission will be to investigate mortgage misconduct and illegal activities, but it’s clearly yet another expansion of big government and an blatant conflict with the genuineness of his words.

So why is Obama is on a post-State-of-the-Union junket in states that are critical to his re-election by attempting to sell the voters on all of the proposals highlighted in his speech. He’ll be traveling on Air Force One during the next three days in the following states: Michigan (16 electoral votes), Arizona (11), Colorado (9), Iowa and Nevada (6 each). But why is he allowed, and apparently comfortable, with the massive cost of using this aircraft for political gain? His speech called on all Americans to essentially suck it up and do their part in helping overcome the ongoing economic downturn. Nonetheless, his actions don’t align with his words.

By the end of his speech it was clearly apparent that it was more about launching his re-election campaign than about focusing on worthwhile legislative programs. Realistically, very little is going to be accomplished on his “to-do” list during 2012. In effect, business as usual in Washington with the leader of the country spending much of his time focusing on getting to remain in the oval office.