I am utterly frustrated with the Journal Inquirer. Here is a letter to the editor that I will send them, but they likely will not print. (Too long and too truthful)
To The Editor:
I have read your editorial pages thoroughly for the past several weeks, and the focus on two fiscal crises, the State of Connecticut dealing with the failed labor union deal, and the federal debt ceiling debate.
What is clear is that the JI, excepting Chris Powell, simply cannot maintain any level of objectivity in either debate. The JI has packed its pages with guest editorials, along with its own, excoriating House Republicans in the debt ceiling debate. These commentators have, at length, talked about how irresponsible, ignorant, selfish and stupid these darned Republicans are behaving. The conflict is really quite simple - so simple that the JI has missed it. Republicans are simply stating the following: The Federal Government spends too much money and taxes people too much and we won't continue to be a party to it.
They accuse Republicans of being the party of "no" - of not yielding and not willing to compromise. In their narrow definition, they are correct. Republicans don't want to raise taxes, nor do they wish to spend more. They want to cut spending instead. In that sense, Republicans are the party of "no" - "hell no" actually.
In reality, it is Obama and the Democrats who are saying "no". They are using this manufactured crisis to try and increase taxes. Obama proposes some spending cuts and the closure of "loopholes" - in other words, tax increases. This is his original, smaller package of cuts, along with closing loopholes, like corporate executives flying around on corporate jets. (None of which approach the opulence of Air Force One, by the way) Republicans say "no" - you're raising taxes. But we'll consider those tax increases if you offset them with more cuts. Obama responds with a "grand plan" for $4 trillion in cuts and tax increases - oh... and a plan to make lower income tax cuts permanent, but allowing higher income tax rates to expire. Clever but a tax increase nonetheless. Republicans again say, "no" you're raising taxes again!
Republicans stand firm to the notion that spending cuts should happen, and taxes shouldn't rise. So they try one more option. They'll pass the McConnell plan. The upshot is that Obama is given the power to unilaterally raise the debt ceiling. This satisfies Republicans in that they don't want to be a party to the debt ceiling being raised with tax increases as part of the deal. Obama storms out of the room and says he'll "take it to the American people"
Obama is opposed to such a plan. Why? Because it puts the debt ceiling uptick on his political back. That will be a liability in getting reelected. And if he chooses not to raise the ceiling, then default is entirely his fault. Worst of all, eventually the Republican stance will get communicated properly to everyone involved. They said no to tax increases and held their ground. Obama will spin it as being opposed to "taxes on the rich" but Americans are smarter than that. Anyone who looks into it will see that 50% of the American "taxpayers" actually pay NO federal income taxes. Worse, the earned income tax credit actually gives some payers money they DID NOT pay into the system - welfare, in other words. Obama's plan is to raise taxes only on the upper middle class and the rich, who already pay most of the freight of the Federal government.
He will try to deflect by saying that he's offered $3 in cuts for every $1 in spending increases. The last time that offer was made and accepted was under Ronald Reagan's watch. He was bitter about that until his death, according to his son, and that everyone is STILL waiting for those $3 in cuts.
Like it or not, if Republicans succeed in passing their last best hope bill, Obama will be stuck with the debt ceiling crisis. He'll have the power to raise the debt ceiling and continue to allow ruinous spending. As the JI editorials point out, cutting back government spending in a recession is not a good idea. However, what they fail to print is that raising taxes is also not a good idea. And with spending on a runaway trajectory under the Obama administration, there is only one future for America and her coveted dollar, and that is the way of Greece and Portugal. We cannot tax our way out of that problem. We don't have a revenue problem. We have a spending problem.
The JI presumes that Republicans MUST somehow connect themselves with tax increases. But they don't. And thus the JI does the newspaper equivalent of throwing a hissy fit. Of course, they can get away with it - it's a blue state after all and they are playing to the audience.
No comments:
Post a Comment