General Custer’s Last Stand

I would bet that General George Custer might have chosen a different time to pursue those Indians at Little Big Horn if he had had another chance.  The GOP has achieved a similar distinction in Washington with its ideological battle over the deficit and debt.  While potentially noble in spirit, the tying the debt limit to the deficit reduction is both foolish and dangerous in practice.

The GOP has, in the process, exposed its fractious nature.  Independents can now see that if you vote Republican, you are voting for the hard right, not some moderate or reasonable close to center group.  As they say, you get what you pay for.

Most of the GOP positions fail tests of reason or are lacking in fairness.  Tax revenue increases is the most obvious.  The GOP says, “no tax increases”.  Even if you do not want to see tax increases, as the debate continues, it will be come clear that tax loopholes and special exemptions already create unfair differences.  If eliminated or at least modified, significant tax revenues increases could be realized.

Medicare and Social Security are two entitlements which need some benefit modifications AND more funding in the form of payroll taxes in order to be balanced.  Defense spending is currently equal to the size of all other country’s spending.  Is more needed to be said?

Individual income tax is another off the table item.  Why?  The GOP says because raising taxes in a fragile economy hurts jobs because it hurts “job creators”.  It is hard to imagine a more outrageous and unsupported claim.  Raising taxes on the wealthy might be considered unfair if the middle class is not asked to pay more but there is absolutely no connection with job creation and America’s very wealthy.

So how does George Custer get into this?

The GOP has chosen to tie the debt ceiling to reducing the deficit and debt.  This is totally unnecessary since the 2012 Federal budget could be just as good a target.  Even more “Custeresque” is that if the US should default, no one knows for sure what the unintended consequences might be.  Experts, however, predict grave consequences.

George Armstrong Custer was not fit to lead and it appears neither is the GOP.

Advertisement

Explore posts in the same categories: Barack Obama, Democratic Party, Politics, Republican Party

Tags: Bill Clinton, budget, congress, debt, deficit, gop, medicare, social security, taxes

You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.