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Pushing Decline
2:21 PM, Jul 10, 2011 By DANIEL HALPER
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Omri Ceren writes at Commentary,
Its mindblowing that Democrats get to simultaneously push for $700 billion in defense cuts while demanding the government retain expansionary spending programs. The Republicans who are willing to trade robust national security to avert tax hikes have deeply flawed priorities, but at least those are identifiable priorities that can bedebated.
But Democrats are pushing cuts in military spending while insisting that what we need is more spending because spending as such in the Keynesian sense where we should pay people to dig holes rather than let scared money stay on the sidelines is good. Thats closer to sheer incoherence.
John Boehner, the Washington Times reports, has passed on the proposed deal: "Speaker John A. Boehner told President Obama on Saturday night he will not agree to the presidents most ambitious plan for deficit reduction, citing the administrations pursuit of tax increases as one of the main hurdles."
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And Speaker Boehner deserves praise for passing on a bad deal, Jim Pethokoukis argues:
So in the end, it was bit of a Ronald Reagan moment for John Boehner on Saturday. Just as the U.S. president walked away from a bad arms control agreement with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev at Reykjavik, Iceland in 1986, the House speaker passed on President Barack Obamas mega-debt reduction deal in Washington.
In both case, the asking price was just too high. For Reagan, it was lethal limitations on his Strategic Defense Initiative. For Boehner, it was a trillion-dollar tax distraction from Americas true fiscal threat: spending run amok: Despite good-faith efforts to find common ground, the White House will not pursue a bigger debt reduction agreement without tax hikes.
A GOP congressional source was a bit less diplomatic, telling me Saturday afternoon via email:
"Their fierce insistence on higher taxes is beyond bizarre. After months of demanding clean increase to avert economic calamity (default), WH threatens economic calamity (default) unless they get economic calamity (trillions in tax hikes). No wonder these guys are governing over an economic calamity (9.2% & growth malaise), w/ an economic calamity on the horizon (debt explosion as mapped out in presidents budget). The bipartisan consensus on tax reform (broader base & lower rates) was championed by Presidents fiscal commission, and yet now is being rebuked by the President. Lowering top rates that would help make America more competitive was too large a leap for a true class warrior."
Pushing Decline | The Weekly Standard
2:21 PM, Jul 10, 2011 By DANIEL HALPER
Single Page Print Larger Text Smaller Text
Omri Ceren writes at Commentary,
Its mindblowing that Democrats get to simultaneously push for $700 billion in defense cuts while demanding the government retain expansionary spending programs. The Republicans who are willing to trade robust national security to avert tax hikes have deeply flawed priorities, but at least those are identifiable priorities that can bedebated.
But Democrats are pushing cuts in military spending while insisting that what we need is more spending because spending as such in the Keynesian sense where we should pay people to dig holes rather than let scared money stay on the sidelines is good. Thats closer to sheer incoherence.
John Boehner, the Washington Times reports, has passed on the proposed deal: "Speaker John A. Boehner told President Obama on Saturday night he will not agree to the presidents most ambitious plan for deficit reduction, citing the administrations pursuit of tax increases as one of the main hurdles."
Related Stories
Obama vs. Obama
Will the Senate Reach a Debt Agreement?
Not Taking Other Peoples Money
A Sunday Sell-out?
The Daily Grind: Obama's Not Worried About ...
More by Daniel Halper
Syrians Attack U.S. Embassy in Damascus (Updated)
Republicans Vote Against Slashing Defense
Fox News Sunday Panel on Fast and Furious
Special Report Panel on Fast and Furious
Greece Offers to Send Flotilla Aid Directly to Gaza
And Speaker Boehner deserves praise for passing on a bad deal, Jim Pethokoukis argues:
So in the end, it was bit of a Ronald Reagan moment for John Boehner on Saturday. Just as the U.S. president walked away from a bad arms control agreement with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev at Reykjavik, Iceland in 1986, the House speaker passed on President Barack Obamas mega-debt reduction deal in Washington.
In both case, the asking price was just too high. For Reagan, it was lethal limitations on his Strategic Defense Initiative. For Boehner, it was a trillion-dollar tax distraction from Americas true fiscal threat: spending run amok: Despite good-faith efforts to find common ground, the White House will not pursue a bigger debt reduction agreement without tax hikes.
A GOP congressional source was a bit less diplomatic, telling me Saturday afternoon via email:
"Their fierce insistence on higher taxes is beyond bizarre. After months of demanding clean increase to avert economic calamity (default), WH threatens economic calamity (default) unless they get economic calamity (trillions in tax hikes). No wonder these guys are governing over an economic calamity (9.2% & growth malaise), w/ an economic calamity on the horizon (debt explosion as mapped out in presidents budget). The bipartisan consensus on tax reform (broader base & lower rates) was championed by Presidents fiscal commission, and yet now is being rebuked by the President. Lowering top rates that would help make America more competitive was too large a leap for a true class warrior."
Pushing Decline | The Weekly Standard
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