Wednesday, November 28, 2012

DEAL! Let's take that "$10 in cuts for every $1 in tax increases" the Democrats have been talking about for years

I just wish a single Republican leader could speak coherently about the fiscal cliff. To wit:

• Since 2002, Democrats have opposed all -- every single one -- of the Bush tax cuts. Every year. Until this year. What changed their minds?

• And if some tax cuts are good, why aren't more cuts better?

• Lastly, for years -- years! -- Democrats have been screeching about the supposed intransigence of Republicans in refusing a deal that offered $10 in spending cuts for one dollar in tax hikes.

Well, Democrats say they want a tax hike on "the rich" (actually, the "rich" include any sole proprietor or small business that grosses -- not nets -- as little as $200,000 a year).



That "10-for-one" deal would trade an $85 billion tax hike on America's top two percent for $850 billion in spending cuts. Coincidentally, that's the size of the so-called "one-time, emergency Stimulus" that gets spent each and every year as part of the baseline budget.

Hey, Republicans: could you ask the Democrats where the list of spending cuts are that meet their vaunted 10-for-one deal? That would take the $850 billion Stimulus out of each year's insane levels of borrowing and deficit spending?

Hey, Republicans: can you ask President Obama and the Democrats where their list of spending cuts is? Because I haven't seen one.

Can't anyone here play this game?


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

No, the better play would be to insist that the spending cuts promised in '82 and '92 be fully implemented in today's dollars. Then and only then would a 'compromised' be entertained.

If they wanted a 10 for 1 arrangement after than, front-load all of the cuts and put a sunset on the tax hike.

That's a deal.