There are many delusional Democrats who frantically play the rich vs. poor game, labeling Republicans as "the rich" while appealing to the dependent class to desperately cling to power. In their fanatical zeal, such people often make absurd assertions about which political party is responsible for the sorry state of our nation today. The following exchange I had through comments to a Letter-to-the-Editor clearly identifies which party is really the "Party of Deficits."
An excerpt from an online comment to a Letter-to-the-Editor by some poor soul calling himself "truthbetold2" at the tcpalm.com website:
WE NEED TO ASK CLINTON HOW BALANCED THE BUDGET AFTER THE REAGANOMIC CATASTROPHE BROUGHT US TO OUR FIRST TRILLION DOLLAR DEFECIT...
REAGAN...THE GUY WHO BROUGHT US IRAN CONTRA, AND THE TRILLION DOLLAR DEFECIT, IS THE GUY THESE LOONY TUNES PUT ON A PEDESTAL...PRETTY LOW STANDARDS AS YOU CAN SEE.
Note the poor grammar and spelling, an indication of a poorly-educated, somewhat deranged individual.
I posted a reply online to that comment, which reply forms the basis for this commentary.
In reply to "truthbetold2" (and any others suffering similar delusions):
Childish hogwash!
There is a quotation from Ben Franklin that applies quite well to you: "We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid."
Evidently, you've been working overtime at it!
Reagan never had a "TRILLION DOLLAR DEFECIT" (sic).
According to Congressional Budget Office (CBO) figures, the highest deficit of the Tip O'Neill-led Democratic House during Reagan's eight years in office was $221 billion, less than one-quarter of what you claimed!
Reagan's tax cuts brought us the longest and strongest post-war economic boom in US history. It lowered obscene interest rates we suffered under Carter. It got rid of rampant inflation we suffered under Carter. Thanks to his aggressive tax cuts, Reagan's strong economy and employment growth dramatically increased federal revenues.
Nevertheless, the Democrat-controlled House continually thwarted Reagan's efforts to balance the budget by declaring his budget proposals "dead on arrival" and appropriating what was then massive bloated budgets. This was a deliberate effort by Democrats.
Apparently, "truthbetold2", you are too ignorant to know that Presidents do not appropriate budgets, they only get to propose budgets. So your attempt to blame Reagan for (Democrat House) deficits and praise Clinton for (Republican House) surpluses is foolish and completely backwards in your assessment of blame and praise!
The Tip O'Neill-led Democrat House refused to even consider a Reagan budget.
Nevertheless, the Reagan tax-cut economic boom was so strong it propelled the country right through the Clinton era to when rising deficits were brought under control and surpluses realized after Republicans took control of the House in 1994. Deficits dropped for six straight years of Republican House control (resulting in surpluses in the last three of Clinton's years).
Want to know who is really responsible for massive federal debt and growing deficits?
Over the past 24 years, Democrats and Republicans have each controlled budgets (controlled the House) for 12 years.
Now look at deficits over that time, according to CBO figures:
Total 12-year increase in national debt under Democrat House control: $5.0 Trillion (average: $416 Billion/year)
Total 12-year increase in national debt under Republican House control: $1.7 Trillion (average: $142 Billion/year)
Conclusion: Democrats have been responsible for three times the growth in our national debt over the past 24 years as compared with Republicans!
True, Republicans should be ashamed for allowing any growth of national debt under their watch.
But Democrats, at three times the debt growth as Republicans, should be kicked out of office for good!
Who is ultimately responsible? Knuckleheads like "truthbetold2" who keep electing Democrats to the House!
Of course, you'd never find your local newspaper editorializing about this disparity. No, they opt to take jabs at any attempts by Republicans to lower public debt the only way possible, by cutting spending.
"Tax cuts on the rich" won't do it. They never have in the past and they won't in the future. This time, the deficits are so massive that ONLY massive spending cuts will work.
Reality is tough.
The record is clear, there is no question which party has earned the label: "The Party of Deficits!"
It's time that apologists for the Democratic Party accepted responsibility for the mess they've created.
If there is a great companion to the quote attributed to Franklin, "We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid," it is one attributed to John Wayne: "Life is tough, it's even tougher if you're stupid."
Biography - Bob Webster
Author of "Looking Out the Window", an evidence-based examination of the "climate change" issue, Bob Webster, is a 12th-generation descendent of both the Darte family (Connecticut, 1630s) and the Webster family (Massachusetts, 1630s). He is a descendant of Daniel Webster's father, Revolutionary War patriot Ebenezer Webster, who served with General Washington. Bob has always had a strong interest in early American history, our Constitution, U.S. politics, and law. Politically he is a constitutional republican with objectivist and libertarian roots. He has faith in the ultimate triumph of truth and reason over deception and emotion. He is a strong believer in our Constitution as written and views the abandonment of constitutional restraint by the regressive Progressive movement as a great danger to our Republic. His favorite novel is Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand and believes it should be required reading for all high school students so they can appreciate the cost of tolerating the growth of unconstitutional crushingly powerful central government. He strongly believes, as our Constitution enshrines, that the interests of the individual should be held superior to the interests of the state.
A lifelong interest in meteorology and climatology spurred his strong interest in science. Bob earned his degree in Mathematics at Virginia Tech, graduating in 1964.