I have recently been involved in many debates with Romney supporters about the reason(s) they are voting for Mitt Romney. More often than not, the answer is the deficit. In most of the discussions I have witnessed, inevitably, Obama supporters end up playing defense: We inherited a mess, Obama is reducing the deficit, Bush tax cuts, wars on the credit card, etc. However, if there is one thing that I have learned from the Republicans over the last few decades, it is this: Playing defense is a losing strategy - whether you have a bad hand (Bush '04) or a good hand (Obama '08), you can only win by playing offense. Given this strategy, in over a dozen discussions, I have played offense with just a few questions and have yet had any Romney supporter be able to answer them.
Follow me after the fold for these simple questions that Romney supporters cannot answer regarding the deficit...
These simple questions have stumped even the smartest Romney supporters that I have debated over the last few weeks:
1. Romney's tax plan will cost at least 5 trillion dollars over the next decade on top of extending the full Bush tax cuts as he wants to do. How does he plan on offsetting these new tax cuts? What programs can he cut to eliminate 5 trillion dollars? - They will not have an answer, because there is not one. It is impossible to offset 5 trillion dollars in new tax cuts without devastating our system. Every time I have asked this question, the Romney supporter changes the subject, but I do not let them get away with it. I keep asking it until they answer - usually they just give up.
2. Romney is against the 20 percent Defense cuts that Obama is for and that Republicans and Democrats agreed upon (though now the Republicans are trying to weasel out of). Where does Romney plan on getting the money to pay for not making this cut? Again, there is no answer and they will change the subject. Be persistent.
3. At least 3 Romney aides have called for war with Iran (the two listed in the article and John Bolton). A war with Iran will be more difficult than Iraq or Afghanistan, therefore, it will cost a lot more money - multiple trillions of dollars. How will Romney pay for this new war? Again, there will be no answer, so repeat the question annoyingly until they answer, which they will not.
These three questions put us on the offense rather than defense and offense is what wins elections. Because there is no answer to these questions, there is no way to offset this approximately 10 trillion dollars that will be added to the deficit. Romney is on the record for not reducing Defense and not raising taxes, so what magic can he use to raise 10 trillion dollars? Perhaps voodoo economics, but even that will not be enough.