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January 18, 2003

Cynicism & Balanced Budgets

Okay, here's the newest GOP cynical move.

Pass massive tax cuts promising they won't create deficits. (See GOP Majority Leader Tom Delay in link)

Then, balloon the deficits to hundreds of billions of dollars per year as far as the eye can see. (See link to Krugman on Bush as deficit drunkard off the wagon)

Then, claim that this all shows that there is no political discipline for a balanced budget and demand a balanced budget constitutional amendment.

James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) actually has the chutzpah to introduce this proposal again after voting for Bush's tax plan which blew the budget out of surplus.

Of course, the trick here is that these kinds of auto-pilot amendments would automatically cut spending in case of deficit. Why is that a trick? Because it would give the GOP great leverage in any budget negotiations, since they could cut taxes at will without having to make the unpalatable decisions on spending cuts-- they could just blame the constitutional amendment when the cuts kick in.

Rather than restoring responsibility, it's the biggest copout imaginiable.

Posted by Nathan at January 18, 2003 07:53 AM

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