Most of those on the right see this trainwreck coming and want to do something about it before it is too late.
Not to pile on, because I think you're pretty honest about this, but do you see any evidence of anybody visible on the right proposing anything particularly reasonable on that front? Because all I see is constant reiteration of the need for more tax cuts for rich people first and foremost, with draconian cuts in everything but defense spending to finance it. Although the preferred method of finance is, as ever, the miracle of supply side economics, snort. Ok, there are things like Simpson-Bowles, but I don't hear Romney or much of anybody else talking about that. Instead, it's the Ryan budget. Sadly, in a Republican takeover, I'd guess that the tax cuts would be shoved through first and foremost, and the spending cuts would sort of crumble as popular resistance to the specifics bubbled up. And it'd be W all over again, except from a far weaker base.
Every since Reagan and supply side aka voodoo economics came into vogue, Republican fiscal responsibility has been pretty oxymoronic, but compared to Reagan, the current GOP is totally off the deep end. Friggin' RINO, that Reagan. I actually respect libertarians a lot more than the visible GOP leadership, but I'm sorry, Ron Paul may have the inspired youth, but he has no apparent traction with or influence on the national party.
Not to exonerate the Democrats, who remain, more than ever, Will Rogers' "no organized political party". Democrats muddling through don't inspire confidence, but given the alternative Republican dream of a return to a gilded age of no regulations, no significant taxes on rich people, and no brakes on whatever excesses Wall Street can dream up to enrich itself at the expense of people who actually do things, I'll go with the muddling. Far from an ideal solution, for sure, but we don't exactly have a rich menu to choose from here. |
