GOP says they're the fiscally responsible party, history disagrees

[IDemo]

Ed Lotterman

Republicans opposed to the Obama administration's fiscal stimulus bill fretted noisily about "spending money we don't have" and "passing a burden on to our grandchildren."

Their concern for fiscal prudence is laudable, but not credible, given the past 60 years. While Republicans had a deserved reputation for fiscal probity from Lincoln through Nixon, their contempt for balanced budgets since 1981 is at the root of our national debt problems.

In response to questions from readers about the size and history of the national debt, I made some simple tabulations. I took the gross federal debt listed in the 2009 Economic Report of the President, the last one prepared by the George W. Bush administration. To its data for 1940 through 2008, I added the Bureau of Public Debt's estimate of the debt as of Feb. 15.

I then adjusted it for inflation, using the consumer price index. (Using a different, broader index, the GDP deflator, would be slightly better, but it does not go back to 1940.) To make comparisons with current legislation simple, I converted all the figures to December 2008 dollar equivalents.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/business/story/677673.html

[Metta]

1. It's ike Lennie Bruce said, "Even if they have pictures, lie."

Their lips were moving, you know. ... the old shell game.

[IDemo]

2. It's refreshing to see this in the Idaho Statesman

Where the likes of Krauthammer and George Will tend to dominate the opinion page.

[Historic NY]

3. WHAT!!!!!!

:spray: responsible for putting more money in the hands of their cronies maybe.

[opihimoimoi]

4. Excellente Piece......K&R

Grumpy Obsolete Peopiots...WRONG WAY PUBS ...yup that they are

[galloglas]

5. The GOP are like Seventh Day Adventists...

after the child has been taken away because they are treating their dying child with herbs and prayer!! The GOP mantra of "tax cuts! tax cuts! tax cuts!" is nothing more than fiscal Christian Science. It is praying that helping the rich is the answer simply because that is the only answer that the GOP is interested in. Like "Jerry McGuire", with Obama taking Tom Cruise's role, the GOP is playing the part of Cuba Gooding, Jr., but screaming "Give us (and our corporate owners of our souls)the Money" instead of "Show me the Money!!"

Listen to these gutless, soulless bastards screaming about the state of our economy after the child (the budget) by someone who is trying to do something about it (the Dems). Jesus, we must not have seen this coming because we are not displaying our outrage about their behavior!

Good God, the GOP has has a strangle hold on the nation for 30 years. They are responsible! Are we going to let them blame the Democrats for their own bungling? Fuck this bipartisan crap, let us all (verbally) go for their jugulars!

President Obama may see some merit in trying "bipartisanship" and Lincoln tried to talk the Confederacy. Let us hope that Obama sees the wisdom in Lincoln's approach. Find the Fort Sumpter of the GOP and then shell the piss out of it!