So, unbeknownst to almost everyone (judging from my page views and such) I've been working on a blog for a year or so now that encourages conservatives to try to defend their views without resorting to the usual hyperbole. Results have been... mixed. But I wanted to share a recent blurb by a conservative who contributes to the discussion from time to time that I think shows just how odd the conversation about the debt ceiling and the budget has become. Brace yourselves:
while i appreciate the somewhat controlled spending that was exhibited during the last 4 years of the clinton administration (and compared to what has happened since, he might as well be milton friedman), those numbers were skewed by creative government accounting. also, the revenue went up because of the economic boom caused by the dotcoms.
i get what you're saying, and i've become resigned to future tax increases. but they HAVE to coincide with major spending cuts, or else we'll be right back in this boat in a few years. we got in this boat not because of tax rates, but because of government spending. we all need to remember that.
also, my biggest complaint with obama's stance on this is he only wants to raise rates on one group of people. the fact that half of this country does not pay taxes is a problem.
That's right. The conversation has changed from "Obama's a liberal who wants to tax the shit out of everyone" to "how come he's not raising taxes on everyone" in three years. Granted, the other conservatives have hit on all the buzzwords - socialism, fair tax, etc. But the fact that someone who considers themselves a Tea Party/Ron Paul type has resorted to attacking the president for not raising taxes ENOUGH ... that has to be considered some kind of rubicon, right?
The full thread's here. It's pretty damned interesting:
http://conversation101.squarespace.com/...