Monday, December 31, 2012

As 'Fiscal Cliff' Nears, Let's Review Republican Irresponsibility

By Manifesto Joe

While cleaning out some of my stuff, preparing to relocate for a new job, I came upon a 2003 publication from Citizens for Tax Justice that casts some interesting background on the so-called predicament in which the federal government now finds itself.

Want to guess which political party, when in executive power, did more spending paid for by borrowing?

This table shows Shares of Non-Social Security Federal Spending Paid for by Borrowing (Fiscal 1947 to 2003 projected)

Truman: none

Eisenhower: 3%

Kennedy-Johnson: 6%

Nixon-Ford: 14%

Carter: 13%

Reagan: 25%

Bush 1: 28%

Clinton: 6%

Bush 2, 2002: 23%

Bush 2, 2003: 33%

For decades, Republicans have stigmatized Democrats as the party of "tax and spend." This table raises the question: What happens when you spend, but don't tax?

At least the Democrats, when in power, have been willing and able to pay for their programs. Il Doofus (Bush 2) didn't bankrupt the country with his unpaid-for elective wars, but it wasn't for lack of trying.

Obama clearly inherited a fiscal mess and has tried to compromise, more than I and many others have been comfortable with, to enact a fix.

Meanwhile, Orange Julius & Co. seem to be doing the bidding of high rollers who don't have to be named. It's their way or the highway, no matter how the presidential election came out. Having held their "majority" in the House by gerrymandering, they apparently plan to obstruct every step of the way until November 2014, and will try to blame Obama for the mounting debt.

I don't have much faith in the intelligence of American voters. But I desperately hope they are smart enough to see through this ruse.

Meanwhile, about 2.1 million jobless Americans lost their emergency unemployment benefits yesterday. While the millionaires in Congress enjoy single-payer health care and count their pension money, many Americans will be looking at bankruptcy and perhaps homelessness.

I have little faith in the resourcefulness of humanity. But I try to believe in God, and I'm certainly not a universalist. I hope there is a Hell, and a special place in it for liars.

Manifesto Joe Is An Underground Writer Living In Texas.

4 comments:

bj said...

I personally don't believe in God, but I'll shout out a big AMEN! to your prayer of a special place in Hell for liars ..... and on Republicans? here's a quote from the aforementioned Bill Hicks:
".......Now I have to create Republicans." " … and God wept", I believe is the next part of that story."

Old Scout said...

This needs to be an area of special and concentrated research. We've had this problem since reagan began reducing taxes and increasing spending. Dems were told to keep quiet about the change in funding protocols ... or their funding would go away. After being log-rolled on the tax cuts, they were believers.
The idea behind borrow and spend republi-can't protos is for republi-can'ts get a free lunch for which Dems pay. I'm sure you guys are tired of buying lunch for the boss.
The debates and trench warfare exposed by the fiscal brinksmanship over the holiday is exemplary.

Jack Jodell said...

Great statistics and a typically well-reasoned presentation, Manifesto Joe. Happy progressive new year to you! Now let's watch the Republican Civil War unfold before our eyes...

Motivated In Ohio said...

That needs to be said over and over again. The Republicans are the party of steal and spend. Since Reagan, this country has gone to hell, and now they want to take the crumbs that are left, and deliver them to their corporate masters.