Monday, July 12, 2010

When the Deficit Doesn't Matter

When is it that the federal deficit doesn't matter? When it comes to giving additional tax cuts to wealthy people who make more than $250,000 a year.

Steve at Washington Monthy:
Let's be real clear about this. When Democrats propose extending unemployment benefits in the midst of an unemployment crisis, Republicans insist that's out of the question and refuse to allow the Senate to even vote on the idea -- the deficit matters more. When Democrats propose aid to states to prevent hundreds of thousands of additional layoffs, Republicans insist that's out of the question and refuse to allow the Senate to even vote on the idea -- the deficit matters more.

But when tax cuts -- the single biggest cause of the current massive deficit -- are on the line, Republicans effectively say, "Screw the deficit. We believe deficit reduction is more important than economic growth, except when we believe the opposite."

It would be about this time that the Tea Party crowd, if it had any integrity or intellectual consistency, would pipe up and reject the GOP tax-cut rhetoric, reiterating its commitment to deficit reduction. Anyone prepared to place a wager on this one?
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[T]he tax cuts didn't stimulate the economy when they were approved. The tax cuts passed in early 2008 didn't stimulate the economy and prevent a recession, either. The tax cuts in the stimulus package were the least effective measure in the entire recovery effort.
Guess what Florida politician wants to give more tax cuts to the rich? The answer is here.

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