Welcome to the Best of the Left Podcast with clips today from The Daily Show, The Young Turks, The Colbert Report, La Show, Rachel Maddo, and On The Media.

You know, there's a lot of holidays this week, obviously, Passover is at some point around here.

You got Easter there, and of course, Monday was...

Today I'm announcing the key decisions I will recommend to the President, which respect to the fiscal year 2010.

It's Department of Defense, Initial Budget Recommendation and Fiscal Assignations Day!

That is, the world's most dangerous party confetti.

So what did Gates ask for? Please be half a trillion dollars to preserve the status quo.

The fundamental overhaul of the Pentagon's programs and policies.

Secretary Gates' budget marks the most sweeping change in military thinking in generations.

A sweeping change in military thinking? From now on, they will shoot before they see the whites of their eyes.

What is the fundamental change?

The Secretary broke it down this way. 50% of the budget will still be used to fight conventional wars.

40% can be used on all types of wars, leaving 10% for irregular wars.

Irregular wars, now I know what you're thinking.

No, we don't want irregular wars. We want the good wars.

Not the wars you find in the bin at TJ Maxx.

We don't want to get our troops ready to fight in Vietnam.

Now Gates and Obama will ask for $534 billion for fiscal year 2010.

A 4% increase over the Bush administration's last military appropriation.

Or to put that another way.

The Defense Secretary takes an axe to some key Pentagon programs.

Drastic cuts in the military budget.

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