28 Sep 2017 11:44 pm
A House Republican explains why deficits don’t matter anymore.
Back when Barack Obama was president, congressional Republicans could frequently be heard arguing that both short-term budget deficits and the long-term accumulation of national debt were acute economic problems that needed to be addressed immediately.
Debt aversion was a key reason not to stimulate the economy, not even with tax cuts like the payroll tax holiday that expired in 2012 due to GOP opposition.
Today, though, Republican leaders are lining up behind a tax plan that looks sure to increase the deficit, with the money largely flowing to unpopular tax cuts for big business and the rich.
To some critics, it smacks of partisan hypocrisy.
But to congressional Republicans themselves, it's, well, partisan hypocrisy.
Via the Hill:
"It's a great talking point when you have an administration that's Democrat-led," said Representative Mark Walker, Republican of North Carolina and the chairman of the Republican Study Committee, a group of about 150 conservative House members.
"It's a little different now that Republicans have both houses and the administration."
