The problem isn't just at the federal level, either; witness the TN income tax battle, which was instigated by a Republican governor. When state governments all around the country were spending money like drunken Kennedys during the go-go 90's, they should have instead been setting the money aside for the next downturn in the economy, which has been happening for the past 2 years. Better yet, they should have been returning that money to taxpayers via tax cuts. But most states chose not to do this, and now most of them are scrambling for ways to make up for budget shortfalls that have come about because of the excessive spending. Who says the best and brightest go into the public sector?
This article has it right, of course- rather than the governments doing the right thing by reigning in spending, it is always the taxpayers that must tighten their belts during an economic slowdown. Meanwhile, the fat-cat pols ride around in their limos and behave as if they are royalty, and blame capitalism for the ills of society. At the risk of sounding like a rabble rouser, increasingly, it is the politicians (or, political parties) vs. American citizens, and the bad guys are winning.