Eugene Robinson: When Cuts Don’t Cut It

[babylonsister]

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/when_cuts_dont_cut_it_20110303/

When Cuts Don’t Cut It
Posted on Mar 3, 2011
By Eugene Robinson


After slamming Democrats for not focusing on “jobs, jobs, jobs,” Republicans have decided to ignore their own winning message in favor of “cuts, cuts, cuts.” This is bad economics—and bad politics.

snip//

Note to the GOP: Americans recognize that public-sector jobs are, in fact, jobs. In fact, according to the new poll, they hold positive views of federal, state and local workers, especially teachers.

Yes, we must reduce massive deficits before they become a strangling, crushing burden. But most economists believe that now, as we struggle to emerge from a truly devastating recession, would be the worst possible time to make deep budget cuts—especially since the cuts in question, which affect only the sliver of federal spending deemed discretionary, will have negligible impact on the deficit problem. Entitlements are the real problem.

According to the NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, three-quarters of Americans would oppose significant cuts in Medicare or Social Security. If Republicans were really serious about deficit reduction, they would be trying to explain why they believe such cuts are necessary. Democrats ought to be talking about entitlements too, by the way, along with reasonable budget cuts. But the debate should take account of the undeniable fact that people actually want government services—which, unfortunately, have to be paid for.

So both parties should be explaining why any reasonable deficit-reduction program will include tax increases. “Cuts, cuts, cuts” isn’t a plan. Right now, it’s just a bad slogan.

[elias49]

1. I really like Eugene Robinson

I've always seen him as a solid, reasonable liberal. He's pretty level-headed. Not far-left, maybe not a Progressive...I don't know. But he's never so strident as to turn people off.
Smart man.

[Brigid]

2. I like Eugene Robinson too.

I'm always glad to see him on MSNBC. Too bad I didn't get a chance to meet him when he was here last November to speak at ISU.