To solve our current problems, Washington must lead. But the way to lead is not to raise taxes and put more money and power in hands of Washington politicians ... Democratic leaders say their legislation will grow the economy. What it will do is grow the government, increase our taxes down the line, and saddle future generations with debt. Who among us would ask our children for a loan, so we could spend money we do not have, on things we do not need?
Jindal cannot argue that the stimulus bill raises taxes today as it cuts taxes at least in the short-run. Yes – the present value of future government spending plus any current debt must be financed by the present value of future taxes. So if the President was proposing a permanent increase in government spending, then Jindal might have a point. But had Jindal bothered to actually listen to what the President has been saying – the long-run plan is for fiscal restraint following the current temporary fiscal stimulus.
Jindal is seen by many in Republican circles as their next leader. Yes – Republicans does have a habit of letting economic know-nothings rise to the top of their party.
Update: I did not stay up to actually watch Jindal but some folks at Faux News did and they were not impressed. As David Weigel notes:
Brutal. No one seems to think Jindal performed well.
Where was Jindal when George Bush was President for 8 years?
ReplyDeleteHe thought he was in Banglidish, but he was actually in New Orleans. Fix Louisiana Bobby, until then I see you as a failure!!
ReplyDeleteAnd look at this line:
ReplyDeleteWho among us would ask our children for a loan, so we could spend money we do not have, on things we do not need?
Amazing nerve! This is exactly what the Republicans did. They borrowed many times as much for tax cuts going almost completely for short term consumption, massively focused on the rich.
The Democratic borrowing is far smaller and half of it is for high return projects that are far more than worth it for our children, that our children will benefit from throughout their lives, in basic scientific and medical research, education, alternative energy, infrastructure, etc., not $5,000 suits, $500 meals, and $300,000 cars as with the Republicans.
The Republicans have chosen the rightarded road again, They will keep their base and hope that the rest of America can be dumbed down to the level of that base. Their strategy is simple. They cannot be held accountable for their theories because they are no longer in power. They can continue to tell everyone that if the government cuts spending then the private sector will save the world. They know they can make the American public forget that they had the chance to do that with control of the Congress for 12 years from 1995 until 2007. And now they say "We're sorry. We lost our way, and if you just help us fight Obama and keep him from succeeding then we will do much better next time. We also have some good 'bottom land' we can sell you in Louisiana".
ReplyDeleteYa gotta admire the gall.
Love the comment The Trucker, that was great. My sister-in-law lives in LA and apparently a lot of people are already in an uproar over how he's handling things down there.
ReplyDeleteRhetoric and impaled bankers: a revolutionary new trolley-car paradigm, together with an introduction to problematology. 600 words.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure this link to David Brooks' response to Jindal will work, but if not look it up on You Tube. It is almost priceless to see Brooks almost at a loss for words in regards to Jindal.
ReplyDeletehttp://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6876666927244228812&hl=en
Just in case some of you were not fully familiar with the quality of educational life in the great state of La., check out these up-to-date reports from the Pew Charitable Trust. Mr. Jindal's state ranks at the bottom of every measure of performance for an educational system. He's in charge of a state that virtually breeds developmental diabilities and he wants the country to follow his lead. Chutzpah to the Nth degree.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.pewtrusts.org/news_room_detail.aspx?id=33264
Scroll to the bottom of that report for the data sets which show clearly that La. is not the place to be if you want your kids to receive an education.