Republicans are Economy-squashers;
Because Republicans are obsessed with only one side of the Economy Coin:
Debts, deficits, spending.
And because they totally discount and ignore the other sided of the Economic Coin:
Jobs, investments, revenues.
You can't have a strong growing economy without a balanced and rationale use of both. Both sides of the same Economic Coin.
You can't have spending without revenues.
Outgo, without Income.
Republicans have chosen the Outgo side of the Economic Equation to obsess on -- no matter who's Income gets squashed in the process.
Because in their view closing Tax loopholes, ending Big Oil subsidies, taxing the Wall Street transactions, do nothing to pay-down our National Debts. (even though these sources, especially Wall Street bankers, often do seem to add to them.)
What Economic Dolts! Income is income. Most people when faced with mounting debt, look for "extra sources" of those. Even to the point of getting a second job; Or cashing-in their 401k's; Or selling some of their consumer toys.
Not Congress -- when faced with mounting debt, they quit paying the Electric Bill, they cut back on Groceries, they tell the kids to get a Paper-route, cut lawns, shovel their snow.
They dip into the kid's college savings plan -- to pay off their own wall-street gambling debts.
If only their were an Economic Literacy Test -- that congress persons were required to take -- and pass -- before being given the important responsibility of "Balancing the Nation's Budget."
If only their were an Economic Literacy Test -- to ensure congressional posers understood basic Economic concepts like these:
Definition of Debt vs Deficit
davemanuel.com
[...]
The government takes in revenues, or receipts, through income taxes, social insurance taxes, etc.
The government also spends money every year (also known as outlays) on a variety of different things, including social security, defense spending, etc. etc.
If the government spends more than it takes in over the course of one year, then it has run a deficit. A deficit applies to just one year.
So, if the government takes in $10 trillion dollars but spends $13 trillion dollars in one year, then it has run a $3 trillion dollar deficit.
[...]
A debt is completely different. Think of debt as accumulated deficits.
[...]
It takes "extra income" to pay down those "accumulated deficits." (Think of paying down those "accumulated" student loans, that many of us have done, at some point in our economic lives.)
And about finding that "magic" net-zero spending point, that Republicans have established as their end-all be-all goal.
Definition of Balanced Budget
davemanuel.com
[...]
What is meant by the term "balanced budget"? What does the term "balanced budget" mean?
A "balanced budget", when referring to a federal government, occurs when:
1) a government expects revenues to match expenses for an upcoming fiscal year
2) a government actually balances revenues with expenses
In short, a "balanced budget" can be predicted based on expected revenues and expenses [...]
If a government spends more than it takes in, then it will post a deficit.
If a government takes in more than it spends, then it will post a surplus.
[...]
If only their were an
Economic IQ threshold -- to ensure congressional Debt-obsessors would be forced to take sober economic-advice like this:
Bernanke Warns Sequestration Bad for Both Sides, Congress Needs to Act
by Krysta Loera, Ringoffireradio.com -- February 27, 2013
[...] Bernanke was frank with the Senate and his fellow Republicans. He warned that short-term spending cuts would damage the recovery that has taken the U.S. years to accomplish and that sequester cuts are not the route this country should take to reduce the deficit.
“Given the still-moderate underlying pace of economic growth, this additional near-term burden on the recovery is significant. Moreover, besides having adverse effects on jobs and incomes, a slower recovery would lead to less actual deficit reduction in the short run,” says Bernanke.
The sequestration is projected to have an extremely negative impact on the economy and American citizens. [...]
It takes a strong growing economy to grow our way out of our Debts. To grow the GDP Opportunity Pie. To give everyone a larger slice.
Yet Republicans assume the economy will only grow, if we shrink government services; if we cut back on workers wages and hours; if we block all revenues increases, even when closing such loopholes was perfectly OK, for a Romney-Ryan candidacy not so long ago.
If only their were an Economic Literacy Test -- to ensure congressional oath-takers cared about basic Economic Growth and societal well-being. Instead of constantly chasing payout phantoms, somewhere over their pie-shrinking horizon.
Or as Robert Reich recently put it:
"What about the Jobs Deficit? That's our real economic problem."
Good question. The CBO has several "well-balanced" thoughts on that framing-changing topic:
What about the GDP Deficit? What about the Jobs Deficit?
by jamess -- Mar 01, 2013
Republicans are Economy-squashers;
Because they are obsessed with only one side of the Economy Coin ... the anti-growth side.
And THAT is just Dumb! (Think Econ 101: D- Grade, dumb.)