I confess to being monotonous and repetitive when it comes to explaining that America’s fiscal problem is too much spending, and that debt and deficits are simply symptoms of that underlying problem of excessive government.
But no matter how often I repeat myself, the message isn’t sinking in – even among people who should know better.
That’s why I’ve created the “Bob Dole Award.” I’m hoping that a bit of well-intentioned moral suasion may convince people (at least the ones who presumably are on the right side) to be a bit more careful with their rhetoric.
The first winner of this (hopefully uncoveted) award are the Republicans of the House Ways & Means Committee.
These are the GOPers with the most influence over both tax and entitlement policy, so it’s very important that they understand the real problem and properly communicate with the outside world.
Unfortunately, even though the Committee normally produces good material, they messed up last week when sending out information about Obama’s big-spending budget proposal.
They issued a press release entitled “More than twice the debt in half the time,” and the document (also pasted to the right) accurately shows how red ink has exploded during the Obama years.
But a statist organization, left-wing lobby, or some other pro-big government entity could put out exactly the same press release and make it part of an argument for higher taxes.
After all, most leftists don’t openly admit that they want higher taxes to make government bigger. They always hide behind the fig leaf of “deficit reduction.” Needless to say, any additional revenue almost always is used to expand the burden of government spending.
I’m not sure whether the Bob Dole Award should be accompanied by a “shame on you” or a “tsk, tsk,” but the Ways & Means Republicans deserve a slap on the wrist (or kick in the rear, depending on your disciplinary style).
Correction: A Democrat friend emailed to point out that there was a factual error (as opposed to an error of judgment) in the GOP press release. And it’s one I should have noticed since I made the same point back in 2009, which is that the FY2009 budget began on October 1, 2008 and should be blamed on President Bush.
[…] definitely would be more meaningful than the Bob Dole Award or the Charlie Brown Award, and I know a good candidate for the inaugural […]
It may be the budget supposedly written during Bush’s last year, but it wasn’t formally adopted by congress until Obama began his first term. That was done so Bush couldn’t veto it. Who knows what was added. We know it was loaded with pork.
WRECKONOMICS II REV 7-12-10
COURTESY :WALL STREET OF AMERICA
LEADERSHIP VIA CONSERVATIVE POLICIES
THANKS TO RONALD REAGAN AND G W BUSH
From 1946 to 1980 the period was known as the GREAT MIDDLE CLASS YEARS
Each President worked to reduce the Debt from WWII.
In 1980 Debt was less than 1000 Billion and Government Spending was 600 Billion per year.
Reagan boastful Cut Taxes plus Cut the size of Government was a Trojan Horse, per his OMB Stockman, to cut Taxes for very rich.
Reagan was Governor for 8 years during which he increased Taxes on many items.
He increased the state revenues more than any predecessor.
By Far. Cutting Government? Ho Hum. Blarney Baloney once more.
Reagan policies increased Spending by 80% .
Debt by 186%.
9-30-81 Debt was $999.9 Billion and 9-30-89 at $1,859 Billion
Conservatives use Spin: It was Congress.
From 1930 to 1980 we spent $6066 Billion.
Reagan 8 Budgets totaled over $7000 Billion.
Congress? Ho Hum.
Blarney Baloney.
Congress returned Reagan 8 budgets for his signature with
fewer total dollars on them.
Haynes Johnson in “sleepwalking” said Reagan administration was “most scurrilous in history”
138 were investigated /charged/fined. More than total for all preceding Presidents in 20th century.
There were scandals in 27 Departments of the Federal Government.
Most involved money fraud.
The book “Ronald Reagan-There he goes again” documents over 300 incorrect statements by good old Ron.
Each President from 1945 reduced the Debt then came Spend-Borrow Reagan
to increase government by 80%.
THEN-Here comes GHW BUSH.
No braggart here. Nice Gentleman.
He increased Debt to $4411 Billion.
A 54% Increase.
Give him credit for increasing Tax on Rich due to out of control Deficits.
He had courage to put America first over ideology and party.
THEN-Pay your Way CLINTON ARRIVES
The Debt on 9-30-1993 was $4411 Billion.
The Debt on 9-30-01 was $5807 Billion.
An increase of $1396 or 31%
He ended with a surplus.
HERE comes old King of Spend-Borrow GW BUSH
Debt was $5807 Billion and on 9-30-09 it was $11,909 Billion.
105% increase.
Reagan-186%
Bush I-54%
Clinton-31%
Bush II-105%
Reagan-Bush I-Bush II did not pay down a penny of debt in 20 years
Those Three Famous Conservatives added $10,946 Billion to our Debt.
Three so called Famous “conservatives” promoted cut government
Up = Down to them.
INTEREST ON DEBT
9-30-81 to 9-30-09 we paid $8400 Billion in Interest.
87% Interest Paid on Debt incurred by the Famous 3.
Is it not possible(no) that without Reagan + Bush Tax Cuts we would enjoy a Surplus?
REDISTRIBUTION DOWN TO MIDDLE CLASS
Increase Unearned Income Tax to 40%. Make Gamblers pay.
Increase Top Income Tax Rate to 40%
Increase Estate Tax big time big time biggie
Eliminate Loopholes on Corporate profits—Set a Minimum
2008 -16% average payment-(top rate 35%)
In 2003 distribution of corporate profits by CBO report revealed
Bottom 80% of Income earners got 8%–Top 5% got 67%—Top 1% got 49%
2009 Tax Return of Exxon pays no tax on billions in profits. Wrong. Sad.
2007—Exxon paid no tax. Got a Refund.
2010—Exxon Profit 45 Billion. Let us see if pay a tax?
Renew Revenue Sharing to return cost to rich from middle class
Clarence Swinney
Political historian since 1991 on Reagan-Clinton-Bush II administrations.
Lifeaholics Of America — old n ugly but honest mad mad mad at Inequality in Amrica
Author-Lifeaholic-Work for a Life not just a Living—Workaholic to Lifeaholic
Author-forthcoming– title not decided—How Democrats created a Great Middle Class and Wall Street Rich Conservatives are determined to destroy it
Many Stats from 12-6-09 polidose.com article by John Lucia “The National Debt:Betrayal and Devastation
Comments and corrections welcome at cswinney2
AL,
NO QUESTION. OUR DEFICITS ARE OUT OF CONTROL
REVENUE + SPENDING
DAVE CAMP IS A LIAR. HE INTENDS TO DECEIVE BLAMING ALL ON OBAMA
YES! BUSH 6 (PLUS) TOTAL CONSERVATIVE CONTROL GAVE US –GREAT RECESSION– VIA –HOUSING DISASTER– AND –CASINO DERIVATIVE OF AMERICA.—-.
TWO TAX CUTS–TWO WARS–PART D MEDICARE
ALL UNFUNDED=deficits
PEOPLE FORGET BUSH AND CONSERVATIVES INHERITED A GREAT ECONOMY THAT CREATED A RECORD 237,000 NET NEW JOBS PER MONTH AND A 240 BILLION SURPLUS AS FAR AS EYE CAN SEE.
THEY (REPUBICANS 100%) IMMEDIATELY IMPLEMENTED— TWO DEFICIT CREATING TAX CUTS– TWO DEFICIT CREATING WARS— AND A DEFICIT CREATING PART D MEDICARE
OBAMA INHERITED LOSS OF 700,000 JOBS PER MONTH–DEBT OF 11,900 BILLION (9-30-09)–DEFICT OF 1400 BILLION—TWO HORRID WARS–UNFUNDED PART D
CBO ANALYIS SHOWS THAT WHEN DEBT REACHED 14,000B
FROM 2002—(11,900 to 14,000) BUSH “NEW” POLICIES WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR $5100 B OF DEBT INCREASE AND OBAMA “NEW” PROGRAMS RESPONSIBLE FOR 1400B.
That is 6500 of the 8200 increase 9-30-01—–9-30-11
NEW PROGRAMS—ALL–100% —RESULT OF CONSERVATIVE POLICIES
CUT OUT WARS—CUT OUT TAX CUTS FOR RICH—-CUT OUT PART D COST—–CUT OUT STIMULUS TO RECOVER FROM REPUBLICAN GREAT RECESSION—–CUT OUT LOSS OF REVENUE FROM JOB LOSS
SURPLUS——AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE
TODAY PROBLEMS =BUSH = CONSERVATIVES = UNDENIABLE
PROVE ME WRONG WITH NUMBERS NOT USUAL RIGHT WING BLARNEY BLABBERING
clarence swinney 0ld87uglymeanhonest
political historian lifeaholics of america
Mr. Mitchell: I always read your pieces on Townhall.com website. As to the “Bob Dole” Award … I do not think it possible to make any comment/statement ever that a liberal/statist/progressive couldn’t respond with “Let’s raise taxes!” Raising taxes on the producers (who after all have the money exactly because they produced it) is the liberal/statist/progressive answer to all problems in existence! Want to cure cancer? Raise Taxes! Want to eradicate malaria? Raise Taxes! Want to find a cure for insomnia? Raise Taxes! Want to prove perpetual motion does exist? Raise Taxes! …
Get the picture? Raise Taxes!
It seems to me that the Republican majority in the House, given the Power of the Purse, should be able to stop the spending spree by simply not producing big spending bills, and instead produce appropriations bills that slash government spending. That they don’t do this, means they just want to continue the spending (although to their favored constituencies like the military industrial complex or farmers).
Our Republican members of the House are big government spenders. They are the ones we need to kick out of office – in the primaries.
The republicans conveniently forget that the burden of spending left by Bush in the form of entitlement expansions and deficit financed wars was inevitably to be borne by an incoming president. I’m not an Obama fan, but obviously the runaway spending is in part symptomatic of programs and policies begun under Bush. I think we could use a little clarity on this issue by seeing how much of the current deficit spending is actually ‘new’ spending (yes, we know about the so-called stimulus), as opposed to spending that was already baked in. Wars aren’t immediately ended, and programs like the drug entitlement under medicare is something that no politician dares touch.
It’s the Spending, Stupid
10/7/09 – Real Clear Politics By John Stossel
=== ===
[edited] The late Milton Friedman said “The true burden of government is not the tax level but the spending level. Taxation, borrowing, and inflation are all burdens on the people. The best way to lighten the tax burden is to lessen the spending burden. If government spends less, it takes less, and the tax system will weigh less heavily on us all.
Adam Smith wrote, “Little else is requisite to carry a state to the highest degree of opulence from the lowest barbarism but peace, easy taxes, and a tolerable administration of justice: all the rest being brought about by the natural course of things.”
=== ===