NYT: "A real deficit-reduction plan would call for a return to the budget

[understandinglife]

... rules in effect from 1990 to 2001. These "pay as you go" rules helped create the budget surpluses of the 1990's by forcing Congress to pay for both tax cuts and entitlement spending increases.

An effort to reimpose the rules was defeated in the Senate as recently as last week, with 50 Republicans, including Mr. Frist and Mr. Allen, refusing to reinstate the rules. All 44 Democratic senators, 5 Republicans and one independent voted for the rules, but a majority of 51 votes is needed to win. Mr. McCain, to his credit, was among the 5 Republican senators who voted with the Democrats.

Spend wisely. For all their recent talk about wasteful spending, none of the Republican hopefuls have offered specifics about what they would ax. But in the past, their targets have been programs that foster better health, education and infrastructure. Those are precisely the investments we need for economic vitality.

A serious leader would balance spending and taxes in order to govern well.

Link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/21/opinion/21tue1.html

Someone on the NYT Editorial Board is awake and reality-based, it seems.


Be The Bu$h Opposition - 24/7

[DemReadingDU]

1. A serious leader ...

A serious leader would balance spending and taxes in order to govern well.

Bush and cronies are only serious about ensuring their pockets are forever filled with greedy profits.