.... you're just going to make people angry. I scribbled out (elsewhere) something along the same lines, a few days ago:
.....
The various plans being put forth from the Republican side range on a sliding scale from pure political expediency (giving the Dems all the debt raise they want, but making them take the blame, such as there is), to what conservatives know is the right thing to do- cut federal spending back to a level such that this country can actually live within its means. That requires a 40% reduction in the federal budget. Everyone has seen the polls- the public wants a balanced budget, but doesn't want to give up any of the benefits it has grown "entitled" to. Given this lala-land electorate, there will never be any way to scale back spending voluntarily. From one of Dan's previous posts:
"A Democrat-controlled Senate and White House will never pass the kind of serious plan we want as Conservatives."
True enough. The problem is, neither will a Republican one. Let's consider the best case scenario- Reps win both houses of Congress in 2012, and the presidency. Once in full control, will they really vote to make serious cuts? Take just the latest big addition before Obamacare, the Medicare drug benefit. Can they actually vote to kill it? The public backlash would be intense. Obamacare itself, I give a 50% chance of being repealed, just because it isn't accepted as just another entitlement yet. Think what would have to be cut to reduce spending by 40%. Would they even cut 10% a year? Realistically, the reaction would make those votes impossible, and they know it.
The only way the budget will ever get back to being balanced is when it happens by force- there are no choices left for either side. That will happen eventually, it's just a question of when, not if. Will the Republicans want it to happen when they have sole responsibility? Hardly- roles will be reversed, some token minor reductions will be approved, but the unpopular stuff will just be kicked down the road. The best time for the debt house of cards to crash, from a conservative point of view, is right now. Yes, the administration and MSM will point the blame at Republicans, but sixteen months from now, that's going to be a weak argument. With control of only one house of congress, the automatic "throw the bums out" reaction to an economic reverse will apply more to Democrats than Republicans. Plenty of people will complain about "polarized politics", but the years of wrangling during the Obama administration will just seem like more of what people are used to by now.
For conservatives, the tactic of the moment should be to block any raise in the debt ceiling. Mechanically, all it takes is for the House to do nothing- within a month or so, a de-facto balanced budget will take effect. Politically, it can be dressed up as "making them an offer it'd kill them to accept", like cut/cap/balance. The wailing and gnashing will be ear-splitting, but the result is one that is going to arrive sooner or later anyway. It might as well happen when it will hurt conservatives the least.
