The Republican Revolution: Real this time?

[Infoproliferati]

The Republicans will do well to heed Fareed Zakaria's advice in his latest Time piece:

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The Republican Revolution: Real this time?

We are watching the third Republican revolution unfold - the third time the Republican Party has come to power promising to fundamentally alter the relationship of the U.S. government to society. If the past is any guide, the Republicans are going to have a tough time fulfilling their pledge. If they do not deliver yet again, the American people, at some point, will surely conclude that they are hypocrites.

The first Republican revolution was the Reagan one, which promised to roll back Lyndon Johnson's Great Society. In its place, Reagan proposed a low-tax, small-government America. The first part happened, with a historic reform of the tax codes, bringing marginal tax rates way down and eliminating hundreds of loopholes. But the spending cuts never took place. The result: from 1981 to 1985, the federal budget deficit more than doubled as a percentage of GDP, and it declined slightly in Reagan's second term only because he agreed to tax increases. Still, the basic pattern was set. If the old Democratic paradigm was tax and spend, the new Republican one was borrow and spend.

In the core sense of reducing the size of government, the Reagan revolution was a failure. This is not my judgment but that of Reagan's budget director, David Stockman. In his book The Triumph of Politics: Why the Reagan Revolution Failed, Stockman places the lion's share of the blame on congressional Republicans, who never went along with efforts to cut government spending. That meant - given the tax cuts - that deficits exploded.
Round 2 was the Gingrich revolution. It was more successful, though that had a lot to do with the fact that it took place during Bill Clinton's presidency. The historical record is clear: since the mid-1960s, it was Clinton's terms that saw the lowest average deficits of any President - the only period of restraint in the growth of the federal government - and the biggest surpluses. Some spending restraint took place after the Republican congressional victories of 1994, but some - like steep reductions in the number of government employees - started earlier.

Most important, the surpluses were created in large part because Clinton raised taxes in his first year, something every congressional Republican voted against. But put that to one side. If Republicans were really serious about cutting spending, they had a golden opportunity after 2002, when they controlled all the levers of government in Washington. The result was the most reckless expansion of government spending and debt in two generations.

Bush made three big decisions: to cut taxes, give prescription drugs to the elderly and fight two wars. Crucially, he decided not to pay for them. ("Reagan proved that deficits don't matter," Dick Cheney famously told Secretary of the Treasury Paul O'Neill.) As a consequence, the U.S. went from having a large structural surplus in 2000 to a structural deficit that was close to 2.8% of GDP by the end of the Bush presidency. (A structural deficit is one that exists even in good times, as opposed to a cyclical one that is caused by a recession and the resulting drop in tax revenues.) After the 2008 recession came along and tax revenues plummeted, that deficit more than doubled. But the hole was created well before the collapse of Lehman Brothers.

Third time around, the Republicans say they mean business. But when asked how they will close the deficit, most explain they will cut taxes - which will only reduce government revenues further and increase the debt. Others, like Dick Armey, chairman of the Tea Party affiliate FreedomWorks, say they would eliminate the National Endowment for the Arts, whose budget is $167.5 million, approximately 0.01% of the federal deficit.

On the Oct. 31 edition of 60 Minutes, Stockman weighed in on this madness. "We've demonized taxes," he said. "We've created almost the idea that they're a metaphysical evil ... It's rank demagoguery. We should call it for what it is. If these [Republicans] were all put into a room on penalty of death to come up with how much they could cut, they couldn't come up with $50 billion, when the problem is $1.3 trillion. So to stand before the public and rub raw this antitax sentiment, the Republican Party, as much as it pains me to say this, should be ashamed of themselves."

I would suggest three litmus tests to gauge whether the Republicans are serious about deficits: 1) Are they prepared to stop with the tax cuts? Because the deficit will keep widening with more of them. 2) Are they prepared to cut middle-class entitlements? Because the only places to find real reductions in federal-government spending are in the large, popular programs like Medicare and Social Security. 3) Are they ready to take on the Pentagon? Because at $717 billion, defense spending - more than half of all discretionary spending - has to be trimmed.

These are not political statements. They are mathematical ones, and it is on understanding math, not politics, that the third Republican revolution now rests.

[HasRob]

They will fail because their stupid and will pay dearly in 2012.

[Gerry]

The Republicans will do well to heed Fareed Zakaria's advice in his latest Time piece:

Fareed is AWESOME and I love his books, documentaries, and Sunday Show.

The issue of the "third revolution" is actually very simple...why is or has there been three?

Because one and two failed.

Not sure many will remember the Contact with America and the Thousand Points of Light. Those were feel good, stroke me up and down slogans just like their current pitch, Pledge to America. They pledge to do in 2010 what they did not and failed to do from 2000 -2010.

Sorry, but I find it incredible and quite sobering for the former President of the US, George W. Bush, to write about and speak about (with Matt Lauer) that the low point of his political career was Kanye West calling him a racist.

Are you f*cking kidding me? The low point of your eight years in office was Kanye West calling you a rascist?

According to George W. Bush, the lowest point of his presidency occurred when Kanye West bad-mouthed him over his inaction after Hurricane Katrina [World & Nation, Nov. 4, "Bush: Rapper's Words Stung"].

Really?

It wasn't 9/11?

Or the two wars he launched?

Or the abandonment of New Orleans?

Or the economic meltdown?

The low point for the former president George W. Bush was the negative opinion voiced by some rap star he had probably never even heard of and will never meet.

[Raider]

Theirs no way Republicans in the House will succeed in doing anything you mentioned..

Not as long as the Democrats hold a majority in the Senate and that piece of shit we call our President is removed from the White House.

[bmugford]

Theirs no way Republicans in the House will succeed in doing anything you mentioned..

Not as long as the Democrats hold a majority in the Senate and that piece of shit we call our President is removed from the White House.

Well, the last time the Republicans controlled the Presidency and Congress all we got was expanded spending and government under George W. Bush. I don't exactly have high hopes for next time.

Brad

[Raider]

Well, the last time the Republicans controlled the Presidency and Congress all we got was expanded spending and government under George W. Bush. I don't exactly have high hopes for next time.

Brad

Most of that expanded spending happened in Bush's last year, I'm not making excuses for it, it's inexcusable no matter how you look at it..

By having a Republican majority in the House, I don't believe it's not going to fix many of the problems we have, not when the legislation they pass can be rejected by the Senate or vetoed by the President, BUT what a Republican led House WILL do is, STOP this MASSIVE spending of the last 4 years, in which a Democratically Controlled House and Senate added 5 TRILLION Dollars to the Nation Debt.

[HasRob]

Raider, I'm absolutley convinced your brain is misfiring. The first thing the repubs want to do is add $700 billion to the debt for tax cuts to the top 2% You and the rest of the idiots who voted all the red ties in need to wake up and smell the coffee.

[Infoproliferati]

You always refrain from mentioning the fact that the deficit began during Bush's term and is cumulative. In the article above:

"Bush made three big decisions: to cut taxes, give prescription drugs to the elderly and fight two wars. Crucially, he decided not to pay for them. ("Reagan proved that deficits don't matter," Dick Cheney famously told Secretary of the Treasury Paul O'Neill.) As a consequence, the U.S. went from having a large structural surplus in 2000 to a structural deficit that was close to 2.8% of GDP by the end of the Bush presidency. (A structural deficit is one that exists even in good times, as opposed to a cyclical one that is caused by a recession and the resulting drop in tax revenues.) After the 2008 recession came along and tax revenues plummeted, that deficit more than doubled. But the hole was created well before the collapse of Lehman Brothers"

The 5Trill wasn't only Obama. And you know, I'd rather try to save the economy than go about business the way Bush did. The man takes a surplus and creates a massive hole in the government treasury. Yeah the Republicans are going to cut government spending. What areas will they cut government spending? WHAT? Boehner and company doesn't even have an answer. You talk about the deficit everyday but have yet to offer ideas on how to go about reducing it. Tell me what your people will cut.

Have you even read Fareed's article above?

[Gerry]

Have you even read Fareed's article above?

Why read and learn when you know everything (that you are told to know).

[think]

Fareed Zakaria is by far one of the best journalists out there. I learn so much watching his show GPS. He doesn't waste time on left and right spin and gets down to the meat of things. Plan to get your ego bruised no matter which political party you may support

[fab]

I agree. I really hope the Republicans do what they're promising, i.e., make government smaller. They could and should start with tax reform, simplifying the whole code.
BTW, Rand Paul had made a pre-election suggestion for compromise. The Republicans are for minimizing domestic programs, the Democrats for minimizing military programs, how about minimizing both; lower the debt, and making everyone happier.

---------- Post added at 05:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:59 PM ----------

Oh, btw, he took apart Mahler, who said that the GOP won since they thought Obama wasn't Liberal enough, LOL!

[Gerry]

Fareed Zakaria is by far one of the best journalists out there. I learn so much watching his show GPS. He doesn't waste time on left and right spin and gets down to the meat of things. Plan to get your ego bruised no matter which political party you may support

Just watching and listening to him, you know he is a genius. And he does not let someone sidestep the question or beat around the bush. He had some iman on there from England, I believe, that was evading answering one of Fareeds direct questions regarding islam. Well, he took a TV timeout and came back on with another guest.

He has the ability to show all sides and presents all sides, be they good or bad. One particularly striking video footage was from a documentary he had done (I believe it was a documentary). The piece was a training video shot life in Afghanistan. It was to be used to train soldiers how to empty a house and what to do with the people. These were actual Afghani civilians. The house and family had already been cleared but the Army wanted to use them as a training tool. So, the Army had their troops stage the siege again. This time the camera was positioned at the point of view over the shoulder of the lead soldier. One by one, the frightened residents were led out into the yard, made to get down on their knees and put their hands on their head. The family now was terrified as this was the second time they were made to do this. The young girl of the house was terrified and in tears and openly weeping. Thus goes the training video.

Well, Al-Jazera gets a hold of this. There is absolutely no mention of this being a training video. Instead, it is used to instill Jihad into the Afghani and muslims everywhere. As it is presented to their audience, these are US soldiers taking muslims and forcing them to bow down to them and their God.

Now you see how wars are started and fought all because of the same information and tool and how it is presented and interpreted. It does not need to be the truth. All that is needed is a willing audience ready to accept it as the truth.

[think]

I agree. I really hope the Republicans do what they're promising, i.e., make government smaller. They could and should start with tax reform, simplifying the whole code.

Agree with smaller government. Agree with tax code reform.

BTW, Rand Paul had made a pre-election suggestion for compromise. The Republicans are for minimizing domestic programs, the Democrats for minimizing military programs, how about minimizing both; lower the debt, and making everyone happier.

Agree with cuts and reforms to both military and all spending.


Rand Paul was just on CNN with Wolf Blitzer. I agree with much of what Rand say about fiscal responsibility but disagree on how to achieve it and on many other key issues.

However, I did give money to Rand's campaign in the primary. I rooted against him in the end as I side more with the Dems on many issues although I am happy to have him representing the Republicans rather than his primary opponent.

Both Rand Paul and Ron Paul are in my mind very honest men of high integrity. Despite Rand's fumblings on many things at least I know exactly where he stands and that he represents the values of the Republican party and NOT those of the corporations. There are too many politicians on both sides of the isle that are greased with corporate cash

This may change as he goes through the political grind but his father still holds dear to his principals and that is why Ron did so well in the presidential primaries even as the main stream politico tried to keep him out.

Anyway thanks for bringing up areas of discussion where Democrats, Republicans, and Independents might be able to find some agreement Fab. Very reasonable of you....

[ksinclair]

The repubs appear to make government larger, e.g. Bush administration. Look at results not words.
We need to get rid of the Homeland Security department, its so much a duplicate of the same functions.
Reduce the military, and make the tax code fair - so the rich dont end up paying so little.

[Raider]

We need to get rid of the Homeland Security department

Yeah, who needs to protect the American Homeland when that money can be better spent paying for the benefits of illegal aliens, Many of them Arab Muslims who work their way up from South America and into the United States.

[Developper]

..... that piece of shit we call our President is removed from the White House.

Raider,

people like you make me sad. Your cry for love rings still in my ears, poor boy.

Alexander

[Raider]

Raider, people like you make me sad. Your cry for love rings still in my ears, poor boy.

Alexander

Looking at the last 22 months of this mans presidency and how he's destroying the American dream for our children and future generations, what do you prefer I call him, Mr. Sh*t instead?

[HasRob]

Raider,

people like you make me sad. Your cry for love rings still in my ears, poor boy.

Alexander

Exactly why he/she is now on my ignore list. Clueless is an understatement!

[Raider]

Exactly why he/she is now on my ignore list.

Putting me on ignore doesn't seem to last long with you people, I give it a couple weeks at the most.

[Gerry]

Exactly why he/she is now on my ignore list. Clueless is an understatement!

She needs to go into the chat room and carry on a conversation with herself because that is how much her bullshit rhetoric is impacting those who even care to read it.

Get in a room and shout from the top of her voice and let it echo all around the chambers and depths and then she might see how she sounds. Like a high pitch squealing Palin, Limbaugh, Hannity hybrid. I would rather chew tinfoil, stab a fork into my eye socket, and listen to fingernails racking across a blackboard than to listen to any of that clan. Because I hear that bunch speak, when I happen to read what Precious puts on the forum, even though I have never heard her speak, that bunch is precisely who she reminds me of - a whiney ass, high pitched, squealing rambling on b*tch who could not even stand to hear herself speak.

I pity anyone around her that hears her shrill voice speak. I'll bet it is enough to bring a riotous crowd to their knees, covering up their ears, begging for mercy and to make it stop.



That squak box placed in and around malls to stop people from loitering is most likely her voice reading the gospel of the day from the GOP bible.