Cheney: "Reagan proved that deficits don't matter"

[Rose Siding]

snipped from today's Froomkin...

John Dickerson , writing in Slate, reminds us of one famous example of Bush administration insouciance regarding deficits. He also uncorks one I hadn't heard before:

"Former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neil says that when he tried to resist tax cuts, Vice President Cheney replied: 'Reagan proved that deficits don't matter.' During last year's presidential campaign, a senior administration official put their worldview more bluntly: 'Name me one person who has lost an election because of the deficit.' "

And Dickerson writes that historically, at least, White House aides have not thought that "all the carping about nickels and dimes and billions is genuine. Members rail against a budget that's out of balance but then lunge to protect their pet projects when they're under the knife. (Karl Rove can reportedly do a spot-on imitation of a congressman who cycles from budget-cutting bravado to sniveling pleas for hometown pork.)"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2005/09/21/BL2005092101053_2.html

[Deja Q]

1. Cheney is as much of an addled twit as reagan was at the time:

I had deficit spending too. Up to $35,000 in debt.

I'm under $14k now, down to $12k shortly.

Deficit spending DOES hurt.

And unlike these bone idle workshy twerps, my job is far more likely to be outsourced or offshored.

So if what will happen to me happens to the cheeseheads in government, problems WILL occur.

[rasputin1952]

2. Deficits don't matter if you don't have to pay for them.....

Cheney is in a bracket where taxes don't have an effect on him.

The rest of us, and generations in the future might just disagree with this idiotic statement.

[lumberjack_jeff]

13. They also don't matter if you're pushin' 70...

you have heart trouble, and you don't give a flying flip about your descendants.

[tk2kewl]

3. Reagan proved that budget deficits don't matter...

and Bush has proved that an intelligence deficit doesn't matter either.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

4. Geo HW Bush lost 92 partly because of Perot yapping about debt.

[PurityOfEssence]

14. Thank you for answering an idiotic question correctly

Besides the fact that "winning elections" isn't necessarily what's best for the country or rest of the world, this statement is factually wrong for just the reason you cite.

Much as Ross Perot is a narcissistic wacko who doesn't have the mettle for politics, much of his words ring true: remember the "giant sucking sound"?

I hate the way reactionary assholes make bold pronouncements that don't bear even the first glint of scrutiny. There's no proof that tax cuts have EVER stimulated the economy. The claim that this is a christian country is completely at odds with history. It just goes on and on.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

16. Tax and spend is more honest than Republican Borrow and Spend. 2006!

Republicans go home in 2006 and stay home!

[w13rd0]

5. I guess next time the collectors call...

...I'll just quote Cheney...

[RobertSeattle]

6. Shameless

Tax cuts during times of deficit ARE NOT TAX CUTS - you are just passing on the tax burden to future generation - it's the cowards way out of a budget problem.

[FloridaPat]

7. And conservation doesn't work.

[Wizard777]

8. Wrong! Clinton proved that no matter how bad Republicans screw things up.

A Democrat can fix it. Frankly we have to stop doing that. We have to stop creating so much prosperity and surpluses. That America gets cocky and feels comfortable enough to gamble on a Republican.

[RobertSeattle]

10. Good Summary

[buddysmellgood]

9. Still, I'd like to see that imitation. I bet it's dead on.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

11. True.

If one steals from Social Security. And then, only for a generation or so.

Go fuck yourself!

[zulchzulu]

12. Did someone say "Reagan"?

http://www.awolcowboy.com/reagan/

[otohara]

15. That's A Good One - Thanks for Posting

I wish I would have paid more attention during the 80's.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

17. Birth Tax is the net effect of Cheney / Reagan "Deficits don't matter"

The portion of the national debt that each newborn child is burdened with is over 100,000 dollars. Most of that is due to Republican Borrow and Spend dishonesty.