Is Sarah Palin a fiscal conservative?

[Budmantom]

I thought she was a big fan of kenzion economics seeing how it pulled us out of the recession.

 

[ProfJohn]

This is not true at all. Take a look at the data from CBO: http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/99xx/doc9959/1-2009-MBR.pdf

In FY2008, by Dec 2007, federal intake was $606B and outlay was $713B, about $100B deficit

In FY2007, by Dec 2008, federal intake was $548B (less revenue due to lower personal and corporate income taxes during the recession) and outlays were $1,032B, vast majority of the increase driven by TARP funding.

Deficit was about $500B by Dec 2008. In THREE months into the federal fiscal year, when BUSH was in the office, after BUSH and the Republicans led the country into the recession.

You do understand that most of the TARP money ended up being paid back.

The true cost of the program was $50 billion!!! That is all.

The problem is our governments messed up accounting system.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

Tax cuts don't need to be "paid" for. They aren't spending. Period.

No, they are always paid for; either with tax cuts, contraction of the private sector or higher interest/inflation.

 

[CallMeJoe]

I thought she was a big fan of kenzion economics seeing how it pulled us out of the recession.

Please elaborate on this new economic school you have discovered...

 

[dca221]

Great argument...

We shouldn't vote Republican because they only claim to spend less money.

Instead we should vote Democrat because at least they are honest about spending tons of money.

Did I get that right?

First, I'd say don't vote Republican because it is the party of Palin, Angle, Paul (junior, I like senior better), O'Donnell, Miller etc. No substance, no intelligence, no specific plan to fix anything except parrot slogans, proud to be ignorant ...

Second, you show me where the Democrats have spent tons of money by deficit funding that wasn't due to cleaning up the Republican's mess, then we can debate which party is more fiscally responsible

If the choice is between tax-and-spend and borrow-and-spend, I'd vote for the former

PS: HCR reduces the deficit so let me preempt that one for you

 

[dca221]

Tax cuts don't need to be "paid" for. They aren't spending. Period.

I can't tell if this is tongue-in-cheek or true. If it is true, this succintly explains the fiscal mess the Republicans gift-wrapped for the country and are now blaming Obama and the Democrats for.

 

[drebo]

I can't tell if this is tongue-in-cheek or true. If it is true, this succintly explains the fiscal mess the Republicans gift-wrapped for the country and are now blaming Obama and the Democrats for.

I never said Republicans are blameless. They're just as at fault as Democrats for not reigning in spending.

But the plain fact of the matter is that, any way you slice it, tax cuts are NOT GOVERNMENT SPENDING. Period. Full stop. End. Exclaimation point. Mark. Done. Fin.

 

[dca221]

I never said Republicans are blameless. They're just as at fault as Democrats for not reigning in spending.

But the plain fact of the matter is that, any way you slice it, tax cuts are NOT GOVERNMENT SPENDING. Period. Full stop. End. Exclaimation point. Mark. Done. Fin.

So what happens to budget deficits? I know a lot of Tea Partiers are very upset about the budget deficits. What should we do about deficits that are caused by dramatic tax cuts?

 

[drebo]

So what happens to budget deficits? I know a lot of Tea Partiers are very upset about the budget deficits. What should we do about deficits that are caused by dramatic tax cuts?

Er..uh... Stop spending money you don't have?

 

[dca221]

Er..uh... Stop spending money you don't have?

So you first cut the taxes so you don't have as much money

Then you look for places to cut

OK, got it. So, what do you cut then?

And how do you know what you are cutting is better than having the money?

 

[Pens1566]

So you first cut the taxes so you don't have as much money

Then you look for places to cut

OK, got it. So, what do you cut then?

And how do you know what you are cutting is better than having the money?

Talking points for this have yet to be released.

 

[drebo]

Talking points for this have yet to be released.

Everything.

I'm a big believer that the federal government is fully 2x the size it needs to be. Slice it in half. Half everything from congressional stipends to senate salaries to the presidential travel budget. Cut it ALL in half. Make the government work more efficiently.

Letting people keep more of their money is never a bad thing. What's bad is a government that cannot live within its means (and both major parties are guilty of this.)

 

[dca221]

Everything.

I'm a big believer that the federal government is fully 2x the size it needs to be. Slice it in half. Half everything from congressional stipends to senate salaries to the presidential travel budget. Cut it ALL in half. Make the government work more efficiently.

Letting people keep more of their money is never a bad thing. What's bad is a government that cannot live within its means (and both major parties are guilty of this.)

I agree with you the government has to live within its means. But first, the country has to agree on the priorities and based on that make some trade offs: cut spending to the bone or raise more taxes. Let's hear what you are putting on the table so you can cut it ALL in half

So I understand what you are saying, how are you cutting the federal spending in half? How much are you cutting Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid? Defense? "Discretionary" Spending?

Why do you believe the "federal government is fully 2x the size it needs to be?"

I believe I look better than Brad Pitt, but my wife tells me it ain't so

 

[Siddhartha]

I am not sure if Ms Palin has published a policy paper on economics, but from what I can tell she is a Reaganist:

1. Cut taxes
2. Cut spending, but not touch Defense, Social Security, Medicare, etc

 

[umbrella39]

I don't know much about her record as governor and mayor. Does anyone here know if she was a fiscal conservative?

Like most politicians she is whatever her handlers tell her she is today.