Jim Morin for December 10, 2010

That is just silly.

The Congress and Democrats in particular, are least affected by, and worried about the debt.

^Which is why the debt always goes up under Republicans.

We could cut the debt dramatically by letting that tax cut expire. And I’d rather see it expire for everyone than renew it for the ultra rich.

Yes, this is why they were so adamant on making the tax cuts permanent.

It’s ironic that the last two presidents that held the debt more or less under control are Democrats. Then again, one of them was from the 70s, when it was considered proper behavior to rein in deficits and tax cuts weren’t a political panacea…

Circumstances determine the direction of the debt more so than the party in power. Clinton was able to show a budget surplus because the economy was so robust the tax income was higher than the cost of doing government. He gets the credit for that, even though he didn’t do a thing to make it happen. Obama has produced a raging deficit, mostly because the circumstances prevent anything else. Higher taxes at this time might reduce that deficit, but it would push a lot of people over the edge, both directly and indirectly. Increasing taxes now on the lower middle class would literally take food off their table, and increasing taxes on the rich (i.e., small businesses) would either cost some people their jobs or, more likely, prevent the owner from going forward with expanding his business to provide more jobs. NBC News had a recent segment showing that very thing. Taxes should remain low for all now, but when the economy recovers, taxes on everyone should go up rationally. At the same time, including the present, our Government must learn to reign in out-of-control spending, and the populace must lower their expectations of what they will get from the government. This is true regardless of which party happens to be in the White House.

Sorry, there was no surplus under Clinton. They showed a potential surplus at the beginning of the Budget year, but it never materialized. The Dog & Pony show relied on unrealistic revenue estimates, spending cuts that were never made or were reversed and did not take into consideration additional spending made during the year. Even before the end of the fiscal year, we were running on millions of dollars of borrowed funds, just like any other year.

Not saying the Republicans are any better, but both parties have too much of a stranglehold on American politics and we just keep electing different sides of the same big, invasive, let’s ignore The Constitution and do whatever we want government coin.

Not true, we lowered the national debt under Clinton, first time since 1981. It’s now sky rocketing again and both parties are responsible.

Just let the tax cut expire. Ordinary Americans would see little change. And the debt would be paid. Do nothing. It is the best you could do. Senators, filibuster this chicken bleeep to oblivion, now and again in the new year.

Actually, the House Dems are trying to shoot down this deal…which means you may soon expect the righties who thought it was so terrible to suddenly decide it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread.

I’m reminded of a quote… “Deficits don’t matter.”

I agree with cdward:

^Which is why the debt always goes up under Republicans.

We could cut the debt dramatically by letting that tax cut expire. And I’d rather see it expire for everyone than renew it for the ultra rich.

^Check Reagan and Bush Sr. years. Deficit exploded.

^^Pulling numbers out of thin air I see.