Here is where the 3 sides are butting heads on each post today, on the economy. In the following T = taxes, G = govt spending

  1. The Democrats, being generally Keynesians, see the market cycles lows as the time that G should increase to spur the economy, creating jobs, and boom times T should be raised, thereby paying back the debts incurred during the lows.
  2. The Republicans, being generally opposed to large government, always want T lowered, whether the economy is up or down, which therefore leads to a need to reduce G. Economy is up, T must be lowered "cuz its yer money" Geo. W. Bush. Economy down, cut T to spur demand, spending.
  3. Adam like paste, free market solve everting. Child porn OK if free markot say so. Sweat shops good, free marmot say so. Worship Free Marmot, oh great fat rodent of squirreldom! Any rule or law governong anything is evil, and the Free Marmot will benignly create beauty of all things, in its most squirrel likeness.

The problems the Republicans have are these

  • Tax cuts have been tried, the last 8 years, and smaller govt, and less regulation have been widely spread, and all 3 have been the cause of the latest disaster.
  • When 3.5 million people lose their jobs, and 2 million families lose their homes, telling them the government is going to
    • do less unemployment payments
    • do less to govern the banks
    • do less to create jobs
    • do less, or nothing to make America better,
  •  well that don't sell real good to people who're homeless.

The Democrats trouble is they 60 votes, and they need to recommit to earmarks, and then they'll watch their Republican brothers line up at the trough. Notice how earmarks were small potatoes before 1995, then under Newt they blow up. Now that Democrats are back in charge, and they would start funnelling tax dollars to their districts, earmarks are a bad thing? Anyone doubt that if things changed after 2010, do you think earmarks will make a comeback with a Sen. McConnell R - TN as majority leader?