The American Spectator

Ronald Kennedy Bush| 7.2.10 @ 3:08PM

Uh, dude, you forgot the best way to cut deficits and that is by raising revenues by cutting taxes. It's worked every time we did it.

Matt X| 7.2.10 @ 3:12PM

I don't think he's trying to refute supply side economics here. He's point out this trick that liberals and deficit hawks use, and if people buy into this notion that it's our job to balance the budget with higher taxes, we will only be giving politicians the green light to spend even more.

Travis| 7.5.10 @ 1:49PM

The WSJ had an editorial on this last week as well...the problem as they point out is that too many Republicans in the Congress--and this definitely includes the leadership--are all too happy to sign off on tax increases for nebulous promises on spending. So not only is B.O. setting them up, these bowling pins are willing to fall over rather than say, "you raised federal spending to 25% of GDP, so now cut it back to 21% where its been, and leave taxes alone." Fact is, we're getting the biggest tax increase in history thanks to GWB's tax cuts expiring. And it looks like the Republicans in the House leadership, true to their Tom Delay heritage, won't fight for their extension.

Purple Lips| 7.2.10 @ 3:24PM

There has never been a situation in modern American history where raising taxes lowered the defecit (and please do not include Clinton's 93 tax increases. The defecits didn't really begin to go down until after 1998 due to the 1998 Capital Gains tax cuts and reduced defense spending). Congress will spend every nickel of the new revenues. That is, we will see even higher defecits and GDP consumption by the federal government.

Teflon93| 7.2.10 @ 4:27PM

The trap is that Obama will seek to cut only one type of spending--on national defense.

TomSwift| 7.3.10 @ 11:38PM

If he does cut defensive spending, it'll be the first move he's done that I approve of.

I believe the pentagon is forced to fund $60 billion of projects it doesn't want? Congress thinks that the military exists to create jobs, and managing all of these worthless projects probably hurts readiness.

iamse7en| 7.2.10 @ 4:45PM

Why oh why do you "conservatives" ignore what Ron Paul has been saying for 30 years?

The other very dangerous way (just as dangerous as raising taxes) of cutting the deficit is the monetization of debt! I'm not sure why conservatives ignore monetary policy. The key to keynesianism is inflating the money supply and you "conservatives" only whine about fiscal policy.

Matt X| 7.2.10 @ 4:53PM

Maybe if Ron Paul wasn't a kook that justifies the 9-11 attack, we'd be more willing to listen to him on other issues. He's a throwback isolationist, and incredibly naive on threats to our national security.

Tish| 7.2.10 @ 7:08PM

As Teflon93 pointed out, His Oneness will go after more taxes. Obama is not psychologically able to cut taxes.

E-Rock | 7.2.10 @ 9:49PM

First off its called non interventionist on Ron Paul free trade and freedom of travel is hardly isolationiost. And maybe when it comes to spending and other issues we should listen to him. By the way when Reagan and Bush where in office yes they did increase revenue but still left with high national debt. We need to cut spending massively and ensure that we pass balanced budgets which is where I think Paul Ryan from WI will be a big help in that he understands this issue better than most on the hill and how to get it done. And hopefully a host of more conservative republicans this fall will also push for a balanced budget with of course tax cuts to help the middle class and small business. O one more note on "threats" to our national security it seems to me that way to many of them are vastly over blown and the threats we do face we refuse to deal with.

Long Ben| 7.5.10 @ 3:06AM

As Grover Norquist says , all of these bailouts are merely pretext for the coming tax increases. As Jim Geraghty wrote in the recent Spectator the Democrat party is essentially a resource-extraction machine. These rapacious so and sos , to raise taxes is all they know , this with their appeal to the the natural covetousness of fallen humanity is their main source of political power . In holy writ Moses told the people to choose for their leaders such men as hated covetousness . On this score , as a party the Democrats are disqualified .

Stan Redmond| 7.5.10 @ 11:20AM

I already hear it crystal clear. Obama's big ears bouncing left and right to the teleprompters like an oscillating fan ...

"Now that I've saved the world from the brink of the worst economic crisis I inherited, we all (taxpayers still lucky enough to have jobs) have to do whatever it takes to reduce these unprecidented deficits (pay more taxes). Today I'm introducing the largest tax cut in the history of the nation. This new American Yes We Can Value Refund Readjustment program will give all taxpayers a discount voucher to minimize the refund readjustments"

Just like Healthcare. Biggest tax cut EVAH.' Enforce a mandate and fines that add up to thousands of extra dollars per person per year and then give them a 5% off coupon. What a deal. People are truly stupid when they believe this man. Try that at a grocery store. Double your prices but give everyone a 5% coupon and claim, "The biggest sale ever" Just like Pelosi claiming eliminating a tax break is not a tax increase. Sure you'll be paying more taxes but it's only because an unfair tax cut is expiring. How well is that going to fly when your boss says "Don't worry about it, it's not like I'm cutting your salary. I'm just eliminating the raise you earned last year."

Obama, Liberals, and their supporters are so economically illeterate it is frightening. And we responsible private TAXPAYING citizens are funding the massive stupidity running this country and voting for these idiots. When we shrug, there will be a catastrophic reckoning.

Oldefarte| 7.5.10 @ 3:26PM

Hunter's great article nails the economic/financial solution to our deficit/debt [ie slash/reduce governmental spending]; and as Tom Swift indicated, even military spending should be reduced. Foreign aid is nothing but global WELFARE and should be eliminated entirely. The whole basis for same is that foreign countries/governments receiving our financial help will be more politically friendly/supportive of our global efforts; but when was the last time anyone remembers [or can cite] an assisted country actually coming the the political assistance/support of our country [did any foreign countries even voice sympathy of our war efforts in the middle east?]. Pakistan was recently given a boatload of our money and simply funnels same to terrorist organizations within its borders that are fighting our military in Afganistan. Back to the subject, the government's budget needs to be slashed by 10, maybe 15 percent, with wasteful/useless social welfare programs eliminated/defunded. Democrats will fight to the death over government expense reduction since the maintenance of same is where their political power is obtained [they give away governmental benefits through various programs in return for the indigents receiving same political votes/support]. California etc is a prime example of Democrats for decades giving governmental benefits to indigents and now have a $20 million deficit to contend with. Greece/Europe are on the brink of financial disaster due to their governments giving away socialistic government benefits without the taxiation means to pay for same. The solution for our government's fiscal disaster is to cut spending substantially [and leave tax levels alone for the time being], which will lessen government's huge need to borrow money from banks to pay for deficits/debt and therefore make available more bank funds for the private business sector to access and grow our economy!!!!