Red George: Meet America's most profligate president since the Vietnam war

The Economist ^ | July 3, 2003

[Torie]

The bulk of the Clinton years, and 1946-1948.

[templar]

5) Federal deficits don't really bother me, as long as taxes are being cut, and I hope the deficit gets so large the federal government goes out of business.

You do understand the the federal debt is your

debt, don't you?

[yooper]

"Every year Mr Bush has either produced or endorsed some vast new government scheme: first education reform, then the farm bill, now the prescription-drug benefit. And every year he has missed his chance to cut federal pork or veto bloated bills."

I have a hard time arguing with that statement. Anyone care to try?

[sarcasm]

A do nothing Congress - what we need most of all.

[Dont Mention the War]

I thought tax cuts bring revenue TO the treasury. Which is it???? It costs or it adds?????Can't have it both ways.

Actually, you can. The money supply is not a zero-sum game. If it were, there wouldn't be a penny more to distribute amongst all 290 million of us than there was we started this little shindig 227 years ago today.

[ErnBatavia]

Judging by your tagline, I'd say you're maybe just a wee bit miffed at your boy being told not to darken the door of the White House?

[Torie]

Drugs is the first really big ticket spending item, other than a massive increase in military spending. The farm and edu bills were rounding error.

[OldFriend]

If you accept the premise that the tax cuts will generate funds TO the treasury, as I do, then it's hard to complain about spending. I believe the budget will again be in balance in the not so distant future.

[Dont Mention the War]

If you want lower spending, elect a Dem as president with a GOP Congress. It works every time.

History always repeats itself ... until it doesn't.

[Torie]

Ya, that is a good way to shrink the military. Maybe my point that cutting spending is not always the alpha and the omega to good public policy was being made too subtely.

[Texas_Dawg]

You do understand the the federal debt is your debt, don't you?

Well, a lot of that debt is held in treasury bills and bonds, so as long as the government can pay us off on it, then that's fine. And I don't see it defaulting on its debt anytime soon. Deficits come and go... not a big deal and as long as we are growing and making money we will have the ability to pay off our debt (should we want to, as with much of it we don't, of course). I'm definitely not going to go vote for a candidate who would get trounced in the general election by a true leftist, thereby sacrificing all the great things this President has given us, just because he increased federal spending more than I would have liked.

[templar]

Anyone care to try?

Would the argument need to be true or have any reasoning behind it?

[GaConfed]

So you are a bit afraid that a real American like Pat might actually gain some traction one of these days I see. Better him than that snooty New England Brahmin family that has snookered most of y'all over there in Texas all these years into thinking they are real Texans. :0

[OldFriend]

Much to the annoyance of the dems, while the bills have passed, the money for the education bill has not been allocated. Sounds like a plan to me!!!!

[sarcasm]

I believe the budget will again be in balance in the not so distant future.

FY 3003?

[Texas_Dawg]

If you accept the premise that the tax cuts will generate funds TO the treasury, as I do, then it's hard to complain about spending. I believe the budget will again be in balance in the not so distant future.

Exactly... aren't these paleos the same people who were freaking out about debts and deficits in 1992, only to see those become a rather minor issue 8 years later (before 9/11) after an economic boom?

[Torie]

Look at it this way. A GOP congress has no incentive to give a Dem president little trophies. They can complain about fiscal responsibility without ambivalence, except for subsidized agriculture, particularly cattle ranch federal land lease subsidies, subsidized water and other matters close to their heart.

[yooper]

You make several salient points and conveniently leave out many other relating to democrat big government schemes (Great Society, Department of Education, Hillary's Healthcare Task Force, etc.)

As for denying history:

"Abe Lincoln formed the party for big government and national state planning."

Abe Lincoln (Whig, Illinois) was nowhere near Grafton, Wisconsin when the Republican Party was formed. The Republicans ran John C. Fremont as their first presidential candidate.

Now, back to your history books...

[EggsAckley]

I have a problem with people dissing my President. Too bad you don't.