Quote:
Originally Posted by kutulu
...If people really want to be deficit hawks there are only two things we can do, cut services or raise taxes. Pick one or combine them but either way we need to do a LOT of it.
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This sums it up very well.
The problem with the fiscal conservative ideology, and one they, through the Tea Party, refuse to acknowledge is simple.
You simply cant cut taxes AND cut spending AND reduce the deficit or debt AND have a vibrant, growing economy AND ensure some degree of regulatory oversight.
Those on the far right, including the tea party supporters, need to accept tax increases, and those on the far left need to accept spending cuts in discretionary programs (and the hard line neo-cons needs to accept that cutting defense does not make one UnAmerican or a supporter of terrorists)....and all sides need to step up and address entitlements with reform that will more than likely require limiting benefits AND increasing taxes.
Rigid ideologues offer great talking points....they cannot govern.....governing is the art of compromise and consensus building. I dont sense that many Tea Party followers are interested in compromise or building consensus...ideologues rarely are.
---------- Post added at 06:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:46 PM ----------
Oh and I agree the Tea Party movement has become an astroturf, faux populist movement....the original intent may have been noble, but, because it was a movement w/o a leader, it has been co-opted.