Monday, September 03, 2007
Fiscal Conservatives?
Believe it or not, back in the '90s I was a strong Republican supporter. One the issues that was most important to me back then was the Balanced Budget Amendment - this idea that our government shouldn't be spending more than it has. Though my opinions on many other issues have become more progressive over the years, on this issue I am still what some would call a "fiscal conservative".
However, while my opinions on this point haven't changed, apparently the Republican Party was being a little disingenuous in claiming to support such an idea as well. I was intrigued by the facts presented in this week's Sunday Doonesbury comic strip, and the pointed question they ask in response. Here is the text of the strip:
However, while my opinions on this point haven't changed, apparently the Republican Party was being a little disingenuous in claiming to support such an idea as well. I was intrigued by the facts presented in this week's Sunday Doonesbury comic strip, and the pointed question they ask in response. Here is the text of the strip:
Since 1776 the United States has accumulated a national debt of over $9 trillion...Good question!
...over half of which was incurred when a Bush was on watch! What a family legacy!
If you throw in Reagan, fully 70% of the national debt was created under just three Republican presidents!
What's more, they didn't even try to restrain spending! Out of 19 submitted budgets, only two were balanced!
So here's my question: Where did the myth of GOP fiscal responsibility come from?
Labels: politics
Back in the early 90's, I actually considered voting for Perot over this. I've never understood why the government doesn't think that the basic rules of math apply to it. Hamilton had a decent reason, but since then it's just been stupidity and irresponsibility run rampant.
(For the record, I'm proud to say I did vote for Clinton when the time came around. And he ended up being several orders of magnitude better than I was expecting.)