Over the Cliff

While Republicans in Washington take their party and the country over the fiscal cliff, North Carolina waits to see if Republicans can govern.
 
We’ve heard the cut-taxes/cut-spending mantra before. First from Ronald Reagan. He cut taxes, but never cut spending. Then he raised taxes.
 
George W. Bush cut taxes. And raised spending. And raised spending again.
 
Republicans, clearly, can cut taxes. Now they’ve taken a blood oath to never, never raise taxes – on nobody, no time, no way, no how.
 
But can they really cut spending? We’ll see.
 
Their plans here are vague. Clearly, they want to cut income taxes. And they talk of “tax reform,” which means raising sales taxes on goods and services.
 
But will they really do Step Two – especially when the special interests affected start howling?
 
If they choose instead to slash spending – on education and health care – will they go over a political cliff here?
 
That will be the big story of 2013.
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Gary Pearce

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Over the Cliff

While Republicans in Washington take their party and the country over the fiscal cliff, North Carolina waits to see if Republicans can govern.
 
We’ve heard the cut-taxes/cut-spending mantra before. First from Ronald Reagan. He cut taxes, but never cut spending. Then he raised taxes.
 
George W. Bush cut taxes. And raised spending. And raised spending again.
 
Republicans, clearly, can cut taxes. Now they’ve taken a blood oath to never, never raise taxes – on nobody, no time, no way, no how.
 
But can they really cut spending? We’ll see.
 
Their plans here are vague. Clearly, they want to cut income taxes. And they talk of “tax reform,” which means raising sales taxes on goods and services.
 
But will they really do Step Two – especially when the special interests affected start howling?
 
If they choose instead to slash spending – on education and health care – will they go over a political cliff here?
 
That will be the big story of 2013.
Avatar photo

Gary Pearce

Categories

Archives