Just Kidding

That didn't take long.  The Republicans "Pledge to America," their highly publicized road map for the country's future, promised to "roll back government spending" by $100 billion a year, beginning this year.  As the New York Times reports, GOP leaders have repeatedly invoked this $100 billion number.  Now, on their first day in power, House Republicans have backed off their pledge, claiming that $100 billion was "hypothetical."

While it is fun to gloat about the alacrity with which Republicans are reneging on their promises to cut spending, it is more important to not let them narrow the debate on deficits to how much spending to cut.  The Republicans should not be permitted to get away with evincing concern about the deficit after insisting on maintaining the Bush tax cuts that will add $140 billion to it.  It should also be pointed out that their push for repeal of health care reform, according to a new CBO analysis, would increase the deficit by $230 billion over ten years.  Democrats need to explain that stimulus spending may have a short term impact on the deficit but is needed to spur the economy, and they must make the case that there are ways to reduce the deficit other than gutting social programs.  (See Growth is Good.)

[Related posts:  Growth is Good; Let 'Em Eat Catfood, Must Read: Krugman]