I always check out the Bloomberg website to get the latest stock market data. Recently, I've decided to check out a few of the "Opinion" columns. I've noticed that it must be shockingly easy to get a high-paying job writing opinion columns.
1) You don't need any working knowledge of economics
2) You just need to parrot what you heard Sean Hannity say last night
3) If you missed Sean Hannity, just catch Bill O'Reilly a bit later on
Why do I get a college education anyways? Why do I actually put in hardwork?
Case in point:
A few days ago Kevin Hassett, the director of everybody's favorite, American Heritage Institute, had this to say:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&refer=columnist_hassett&sid=ayel6yZhLzvITarget the Deficit
There is an easy target: the budget deficit.
Profligate spending has pushed the deficit to historic heights, and spending restraint can easily bring it back. Republicans should promise voters they will balance the budget by fiscal year 2009, which we would talk about in the 2008 election year, if given the chance to remain the majority party.
That might sound like a tall order, but it isn't. Revenue has been picking up, and the budget would be balanced by fiscal 2009 if Republicans could freeze spending at its current level and cut an additional $26 billion. Given that government spending has increased by 56 percent since 2000, a simple freeze ought to be relatively easy to navigate.
Imagine how the conversation would change if Republicans took that step. Democrats would complain about the terrible damage that would ensue if government would shrink slightly, reminding voters that they are ideologically the traditional party of big government. And Republicans could have a field day picking out egregious things to cut. And today, Bloomberg offers this tasty opinion column.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&refer=columnist_shlaes&sid=ajyaAqlEVMtIIf a Deficit Falls in the Forest, Do You Hear It?: Amity Shlaes Yet such details obscure the larger meaning of the deficit change. The new data supply evidence that President George W. Bush is right: lowering tax rates doesn't cause deficits, and can even diminish them. Meanwhile, the U.S. economy is forging through a whole forest of difficulties right now -- the war, higher energy prices, a cooling housing market.
The narrowing deficit of 2006 is worth noting. To find your way out of the woods, you have to know what goes on inside them.Take a look at these two opinion columns and you'll see the emerging message. The terrible economy is A) Not caused by tax cuts B) The deficit isn't all that bad,it's getting better now don't you see? (Hey Amy, how's the overall debt picture look?) C)The economy is only bad because Dubya is too much of a socialist and is spending way too much on social programs.
This is what's coming folks, we need to spread the word far and wide. The Republicans are setting up the message to continue their policies of economic "stay the course" and apply as many tax breaks as possible no matter what the situation may actually look like in the land of reality that so many of us live in.
In the meantime, I'm going to start writing my Bloomberg opinion piece and see if I can get my piece of the Bloomberg pie. I'm going to start it out by copying and pasting some of Sean Hannity's transcripts. Woo Hoo, big money here I come!
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