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I read an interesting editorial in the DesMoines Register today. It brings up a good point, really. For years, conservative friends have railed to me against the Democrats for being "tax and spend" and the "party of big government", and yet here we have a Republican in the White House and Republican majorities in both Houses of Congress, and what happens?
They've increased spending by 15% in one year alone. They've turned a $236 billion federal budget surplus into a $400 billion-plus deficit in just three years.
I sense a bit of bait-and-switch going on here.
This is the most fiscally irresponsible American administration in the history of the Republic, and that's really saying something. And you can't blame this on "Homeland Security" or whatever. The Homeland Security Department budget only accounts for about 2% of federal spending.
Nope, they're spending money like they've never had to budget, like they've never had to watch their bottom line. A pretty weird thing from a bunch of folks that claim to be leaders of industry.
So why are they doing it? Why are they simultaneously draining revenue and increasing spending?
Some favour the conclusion that they're shamelessly looting the country. They're plundering the treasury for themselves and their friends in a way that the Visigoths might have admired. Chalk it up to short-sightedness and greed.
Me, I don't think it's quite that simple. I think they're intentionally bankrupting the country. If the US Government goes into default, it won't be able to borrow. At that point, every item in the budget is up for grabs; we just won't be able to afford it.
Social security? Can't afford it; out it goes.
Welfare? Foodstamps? Can't afford 'em.
No social program will survive. Our great society will be reduced to a tax-free aristocracy of military and energy industry on the one hand, and peasants paying taxes to support them on the other.
Or am I just being cynical again?
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