The plain simple truth about the new Republican congress is that there is no way to ‘pay’ for the George Bush tax cuts. This is true for a couple of reasons. First, you do not ‘pay’ for a tax cut, a tax cut is what occurs when the Government stops spending so much, or at least people stop giving the government so much. In this case Obama is attempting to frame the discussion around the idea that the ‘rich’ are being ‘paid for’ by the average American taxpayer, rather than the truth of the matter which is the Average American taxpayer ( of which I am one ) is being paid for by the ‘rich’.
This attempt by President Obama to redirect the question should be answered very simply. Rather than expand Government at the rate it currently is growing at, you simply slow down the rate of government growth in comparison to the growth of the economy. This is what occurred during the Clinton Era ( well along with increased taxes ). But during the Clinton era the economy was increasing at a high rate and taxes were kept lower than the rate of inflation, thereby diminishing the National Debt.
It is this logic that can be employed even today with keeping taxes low, however it requires a fiscal discipline not seen since the congress under Clinton ( who were Republicans ) that fought against almost every form of Government increase in spending.
This was not continued under either Bush or thus far Obama, which is the reason we are now approaching record deficits and have to ask ‘How are we going to pay for the tax cuts’, which must be one of the stupidest questions that have been uttered in many a year politically but with a media all to ready to shrug off statements like this and instead hold Republicans feet to the fire rather than Democrats all that can be done is boldly stand and educate people on the best way to fix the mess that we are currently in.
Fiscal Conservatives are the best cure for an out of control Government. The plain simple truth is that we need more of them in office to make a dent in these problems and they need to be in for decades not just a few terms.
