Obama is already talking about cutting the budget deficit (he inherited), by half no less...? Is this another bone thrown to the GOP?

Enough already. Yes, it's good to know that Obama is cognizant of our huge deficit, but there is a time and a place for stressing a balanced budget -- and now is not that time. We're facing an economic calamity requiring fiscal spending to first and foremost reverse the tailspin. After evidence surfaces that this objective has been achieved, then and only then should Obama turn his attention, albeit quickly, to resolving the deficit problem. It's just a matter of prioritizing.