The debt ceiling issue is sizing up to be a big deal politically. After having muffed it a couple of times, the Republicans have one last chance before the 2012 elections to deliver on their promise to substantively cut spending. The Democrats are hoping to put the bad economy on the Republican's backs -- if it weren't for the irresponsible, ideologically inflexible Republicans who caused the US to default on its debt, our economy would be booming!
I saw a series of short presentations on a mainstream media station today (the one that has George Steppenapolis) on this issue. It couldn't have been more in the tank for Obama and their position on the debt ceiling and combining increased revenues with the debt ceiling issue. That really, I mean REALLY got me steamed. Incredibly biased and propagandistic.
One thing that occured to me -- and I do not claim credit for this insight, I've read it somewhere -- is that the spending increases of the Democrats beginning in 2008 represent a quantum increase in domestic spending. More specifically, the domestic spending as a fraction of GDP took a significant percentage jump upwards with the Democrats. What the Democrats are NOW trying to say is that this profligate domestic spending is THE NEW NORMAL!!! Well, that just isn't so. Let's reduce domestic spending back to where it was before 2008. THEN maybe we could consider increased revenues. The whole pretext for the spending increase was to jump-start the economy -- Keynsian stimulus. Well, that crap didn't work. To the extent any of that stimulus money has not been spent, it ought to be backed out of the budgets.
The Republicans ought to focus more light on this. It isn't just spending cuts -- its reducing spending back to NORMAL levels. It was abnormal spending that got us into this problem.
Anyway. This is going to be a central issue, I think. Republicans ought to think this through carefully, articulate their position clearly and thoughtfully, and stick to their position. I think the electorate will reward them in 2012. We want reduced spending. We want to dial back at LEAST to historically normal levels. Speaking for myself, I would like us to dial back even further. And I include in that military spending. Let's stop being the policeman of the world. Why are we pouring out money on Libya? Further, why not take down the bases in South Korea, Okinawa, and Germany and save that money?
I think we are in agreement on your posting. The republicans need to focus on the fact that everyone went along with the democrat plans and they all failed, dismally. Further, they want us to buy into more of the same. Spending needs to be dialed back. The dems will counter with scare tactics about how military pay, ssi and medicare checks won't go out if we hit the debt ceiling...it is my understanding this is not true....but it's ok to scare gramma and grampa into pulling the D lever on election day.
I think we are in agreement on your posting. The republicans need to focus on the fact that everyone went along with the democrat plans and they all failed, dismally. Further, they want us to buy into more of the same. Spending needs to be dialed back. The dems will counter with scare tactics about how military pay, ssi and medicare checks won't go out if we hit the debt ceiling...it is my understanding this is not true....but it's ok to scare gramma and grampa into pulling the D lever on election day.
It should be easy for Republicans to avoid the scare. They just say "HEY!!! Pay attention! We are just trying to dial this thing back to where it was in 2008! Gramma and Grampa were doing OK then, weren't they?!!! The military was getting paid, SS was getting paid, medicare checks were going out, weren't they!!! This is all a bunch of poppy-**** thrown up by the Democrats who want to lock-in this deplorable massive growth of government they have disguised as something it is not. It is a historically sized growth of government to permanently establish funding for Democrat clients in order to perpetuate their political power!" I guess as a candidate I would leave out the last sentence about perpetuation of political power -- true but sounds ideological, conspiracy theory bound.
It should be easy for Republicans to avoid the scare. They just say "HEY!!! Pay attention! We are just trying to dial this thing back to where it was in 2008! Gramma and Grampa were doing OK then, weren't they?!!! The military was getting paid, SS was getting paid, medicare checks were going out, weren't they!!! This is all a bunch of poppy-**** thrown up by the Democrats who want to lock-in this deplorable massive growth of government they have disguised as something it is not. It is a historically sized growth of government to permanently establish funding for Democrat clients in order to perpetuate their political power!" I guess as a candidate I would leave out the last sentence about perpetuation of political power -- true but sounds ideological, conspiracy theory bound.
I suppose...you may give the majority of the electorate too much credit. THey're the ones who put Barry Bonobo on his perch in the first place....
Debt ceiling face-off
