Tag Archives: Fiscal Responsibility


Inflexible GOP Should Listen to Reagan on Debt – CNN.com

As the debt-ceiling deadline ticks closer, conservatives in Congress are fighting among themselves. The civil war is between responsible Republicans and extreme ideologues. The question is whether the collateral damage will include the American economy. House Speaker John Boehner abruptly … Continue reading

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Our Stupid Self-Inflicted Debt Crisis – CNN.com

Let me get this straight. The people who have been preaching the most about the dangers of American decline are right now helping to hasten American decline. Because if America defaults on its debt, not only will we find ourselves … Continue reading

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Where the GOP Went Wrong on Deficits and Debt – The Daily Beast

When did fiscal responsibility and fiscal conservatism get de-linked? That is the key question that underlies the fault lines in the current GOP civil war, playing out over the debt-ceiling debate as every day we get closer to default. It’s too simple … Continue reading

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GOP’s Debt Kamikazes – The Daily Beast

Call them Debt Ceiling Deniers. Believers in faith-based fiscal policy. Math-challenged cause-and-effect-skeptics. And an uncomfortable chunk of the GOP’s 2012 contenders. The costs of courting conservative populists should be clearer than ever to reality-based fiscal conservatives inside the Republican Party.  Their … Continue reading

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Our Pathetic Debt Debate – The Daily Beast

A cataclysmic game of chicken. Negotiating with a gun to your head. A Thelma & Louise-style full throttle off a cliff. The dire metaphors for the debt-ceiling debate proliferate as we get closer to the August 2nd due date.

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Wisconsin’s Nuclear Option – The Daily Beast

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has an un-played ace up his sleeve in the budget fights that have made Madison the focus of a national struggle between fiscal conservatives and public sector unions. A little-noticed provision in the Wisconsin State Constitution—Article … Continue reading

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The Perpetual Tea Party: Tax Protests and the Founders – Constitution Daily

Tax protests are part of America’s political DNA. It is a time-honored tradition, rediscovered by every generation, reminding both government and citizens of the roots of our republic. At its best, it is a sign of an active citizenry trying … Continue reading

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Cowards Sank the Deficit Plan – The Daily Beast

The Bipartisan Deficit Commission led by Democrat Erskine Bowles and Republican Alan Simpson voted 11 to 7 in favor of their far-sighted plan to cut the deficit by $4 trillion within the decade. But it can be classified as only … Continue reading

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Our Screwed Up Tax System: Fix It – The Daily Beast

With tax snafus scalping Tom Daschle and Nancy Killefer—and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner narrowly escaping a similar fate—the Obama administration has hit its first rough patch. From Zoe Baird to Linda Chavez, we’ve seen this movie before. The tax code’s … Continue reading

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What If New York Goes Bust? – The Daily Beast

UPDATE: Looks like the tsunami has arrived in California, with state legislators one vote short of a spending cut and tax-hike compromise to close a $42 billion budget deficit. (By comparison, that’s twice the national debt during the Great Depression.) … Continue reading

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