The Deficit Commission
I want so badly for there to be a bipartisan solution to our skyrocketing deficits, a real austerity plan that combines the best ideas from both sides and doesn't put us on the fast track to financial ruin. So I'm hesitant to criticize or naysay the preliminary suggestions from Erskine and Bowles on this issue.
Republicans are whining that the plan involves new taxes. They should shut up and stop whining, because the tax reform plans are almost perfect. Eliminating deductions will have enormous beneficial effects on the structure of health care, of the real estate industry, of banking - you know, all our pressing problems. Taxes will go up, but not by much, and I am totally fine with that. You could hike rates on the rich some more if it feels unequal, but a simplified tax code is exactly what business wanted.
Democrats are whining about cuts to Social Security and Medicare. They have a point - Social Security is not in all that much trouble right now, so the broad cuts proposed are unnecessarily muddying the waters - but on the larger issue that entitlements should be sacrosanct no matter what and they're what the middle class deserve in these troubled times and all that, they should shut up and stop whining. Medicare and Medicaid are the single greatest long-term threat to the budget, and we desperately need cuts to health spending, and they need to be really deep cuts to make a difference. You had your chance at this in 2009 and you blew it.
Technocrats are whining about cuts to domestic spending. Yes, this plan is a strain on the federal workforce - down by 10% but still tasked with doing approximately the same amount of work. It's a good thing federal workers get more compensation than their private sector counterparts, then! Domestic spending cuts are always painful, and frankly the farm bill could use a much heftier bite taken out of it. But this is the only part of the budget cuts that both sides can agree to at least a freeze on, so it's happening.
Nobody seems to be whining about the defense cuts, which is an excellent sign, because that's the best part of this entire bill. Closing 1/3 of our bases? Cancelling enormous force upgrades in our hardware? Taking Gates' recommendations for wasteful programs and not replacing them with more shiny new contracts? Perfect. Even if we can't get the rest of this off the ground, we should be slashing defense spending. It's a luxury we can no longer afford.
Overall, people are being very pessimistic. My gut response is: Sure, it's realistic that nothing will get done, but only by voicing our support for a responsible budget will we ever get anything done at all. Sure, the commission's work needs some fixes. Overall, though, it's the most serious plan I've seen yet.
From now on, I've decided to ignore budgetary criticism from someone who has no plan to tackle the national debt. This means you, Boehner. And you, Pelosi.
Republicans are whining that the plan involves new taxes. They should shut up and stop whining, because the tax reform plans are almost perfect. Eliminating deductions will have enormous beneficial effects on the structure of health care, of the real estate industry, of banking - you know, all our pressing problems. Taxes will go up, but not by much, and I am totally fine with that. You could hike rates on the rich some more if it feels unequal, but a simplified tax code is exactly what business wanted.
Democrats are whining about cuts to Social Security and Medicare. They have a point - Social Security is not in all that much trouble right now, so the broad cuts proposed are unnecessarily muddying the waters - but on the larger issue that entitlements should be sacrosanct no matter what and they're what the middle class deserve in these troubled times and all that, they should shut up and stop whining. Medicare and Medicaid are the single greatest long-term threat to the budget, and we desperately need cuts to health spending, and they need to be really deep cuts to make a difference. You had your chance at this in 2009 and you blew it.
Technocrats are whining about cuts to domestic spending. Yes, this plan is a strain on the federal workforce - down by 10% but still tasked with doing approximately the same amount of work. It's a good thing federal workers get more compensation than their private sector counterparts, then! Domestic spending cuts are always painful, and frankly the farm bill could use a much heftier bite taken out of it. But this is the only part of the budget cuts that both sides can agree to at least a freeze on, so it's happening.
Nobody seems to be whining about the defense cuts, which is an excellent sign, because that's the best part of this entire bill. Closing 1/3 of our bases? Cancelling enormous force upgrades in our hardware? Taking Gates' recommendations for wasteful programs and not replacing them with more shiny new contracts? Perfect. Even if we can't get the rest of this off the ground, we should be slashing defense spending. It's a luxury we can no longer afford.
Overall, people are being very pessimistic. My gut response is: Sure, it's realistic that nothing will get done, but only by voicing our support for a responsible budget will we ever get anything done at all. Sure, the commission's work needs some fixes. Overall, though, it's the most serious plan I've seen yet.
From now on, I've decided to ignore budgetary criticism from someone who has no plan to tackle the national debt. This means you, Boehner. And you, Pelosi.