It’s the spending, stupid
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February 10th, 2004 at 2:35 pm
started out cutting spending
Where does it say that? The Graph is titled “Annual Increase in Total Federal Outlays” and all of the bars are positive.
February 10th, 2004 at 2:42 pm
I’m using fed-math, where by a smaller increase then expected is a reduction in services. All kidding aside, you’re correct. I misread that chart.
February 10th, 2004 at 3:40 pm
Groan.
February 10th, 2004 at 3:42 pm
Sorry chris, but I look at the crap they spend money on and still stand by my assertion that it’s the spending.
February 10th, 2004 at 3:47 pm
Spending as a problem and tax revenue shortfalls as a problem are not mutually exclusive.
I agree that we could be spending more wisely.
But when you have a title like “It’s the spending, stupid”, you imply that spending is the reason that we have fiscal problems. That’s not true.
And anyway, the programs you cite as evidence that spending is out of control are a drop in the bucket compared to the big daddies of spending: social security and medicare. And they aren’t going away voluntarily anytime soon.
February 10th, 2004 at 3:53 pm
Well, if we weren’t spending we wouldn’t need revenue now would we?
February 10th, 2004 at 3:54 pm
Ack! Hit post too soon. Continuing:
Well, if we weren’t spending we wouldn’t need revenue now would we? Spending drives the need for revenue (in the case of government, quite the opposite for business).
February 10th, 2004 at 5:05 pm
Okay, see, you’re abstracting the problem.
Spending drives the need for revenue. Absolutely. I agree.
Then explain to me why we’re cutting revenue first (massive tax cuts) and then complaining about spending.
The answer? Dishonesty.
When it’s tax-cut time, you’d think the government had a vault full of cash just waiting to give it out.
But when it comes to doling out funds for social programs, suddenly we’re strapped for cash, and we have to collectively “tighten our belts”.
Your title, purposefully provocative, is what I have a problem with. “It’s the spending, stupid.” Well, what does that mean. What’s “it” here? “The cause of our fiscal problems”, I assume.
The problem with your answer, “the spending”, is that it implies the image of a spending-crazed bureaucrat going crazy with money we don’t have. That is a misrepresentation. The government knows very well how much it’s spending, and how that spending compares to revenue. During the Clinton administration, particularly during the late 90s, we were doing pretty damn well at managing it, too.
The reality is that we are already spending money on many things, including social security and medicare. (Which as I’ve observed before, most Americans consider a higher priority than lower taxes).
The reality is that spending and revenue are both conscious choices made by our government. There are very few events that dramatically impact our ability to meet our expenditures with our revenue.
The reality is that Bush spent billions on a massive tax cut that has sharply cut into our tax revenue. It was a conscious decision.
So, in this case, the Bush administration is cutting revenue, and then letting revenue dictate spending. That’s not inherently wrong, except that it’s dishonest with the American people. It’s dishonest because the social programs and spending they hold as a higher priority than lower taxes are first on the chopping block when it’s time to “tighten the belt”. It’s dishonest because what is actually a conscious, reversible choice is presented as an inevitability.
February 10th, 2004 at 10:18 pm
I don’t disagree with what you’re saying per se. But, given how politicians feed at the pork trough, cutting revenue is likely the best first step at getting spending down (if the money won’t be there). It works for me. I really don’t care about the government’s financial position to be honest. After all (giggle) it can just print money.