- 24 Apr 2012 21:58
#13945896
In spite of its claims the Republican Party is not fiscally conservative. I am a fiscal conservative. The Republican Party of Eisenhower was fiscally conservative but the Republican Party of today is not. The GOP of now is fiscally libertarian. In other words their primary aim is low taxes and low regulations. They will fight for this regardless of whether or not it raises the deficit. The deficit is merely used as a rhetorical tool to cut spending which in turn will be used to justify further tax cuts. The way I see it an authentic fiscal conservative is the following...
1. Somebody who wants a balanced budget and favors both spending cuts AND tax increases to get there.
2. Somebody who might support a social safety net but demands accountability.
3. Somebody who views the budget as a unified whole and does not hold up military spending as holy, sacred, or untouchable.
4. Somebody who supports capitalism along with necessary regulations to keep capitalism stable.
A fiscal conservative is not...
1. Somebody who will support a balanced budget only if no tax increases are considered.
2. Somebody who opposes all social safety nets since it conflicts with more tax cuts for the rich.
3. Somebody who calls for smaller government while demanding more military spending and acting like only non-military programs can count as "Big Gummint."
4. Somebody who believes there is no middle ground between laissez-faire capitalism and socialism and who would rather see capitalist economies collapse than intervene using government.
Eisenhower may have been the last true fiscal conservative in the Republican Party and Clinton was the last true fiscal conservative president.
To me New York mayor Michael Bloomberg explains true fiscal conservatism in his speech to the British Conservative Party in 2007.
In the GOP by contrast the attitude is, "Gimme tax cuts. I don't care if we git us one o them thar deficits. It only counts if the libra soshulists do it like Barack Osama Bin Bama. And it ain't none got to do with our boys in uniform. The way I see it the libras just wanna cut the military to help the terrists win. More tax cuts and more military! Cut welfare and make negros git a jerb but keep yer hands offen mah Medihcarr! Mitt Romney 2012! Derka derr!"
1. Somebody who wants a balanced budget and favors both spending cuts AND tax increases to get there.
2. Somebody who might support a social safety net but demands accountability.
3. Somebody who views the budget as a unified whole and does not hold up military spending as holy, sacred, or untouchable.
4. Somebody who supports capitalism along with necessary regulations to keep capitalism stable.
A fiscal conservative is not...
1. Somebody who will support a balanced budget only if no tax increases are considered.
2. Somebody who opposes all social safety nets since it conflicts with more tax cuts for the rich.
3. Somebody who calls for smaller government while demanding more military spending and acting like only non-military programs can count as "Big Gummint."
4. Somebody who believes there is no middle ground between laissez-faire capitalism and socialism and who would rather see capitalist economies collapse than intervene using government.
Eisenhower may have been the last true fiscal conservative in the Republican Party and Clinton was the last true fiscal conservative president.
To me New York mayor Michael Bloomberg explains true fiscal conservatism in his speech to the British Conservative Party in 2007.
Being a fiscal conservative is not about slashing programs that help the poor, or improve health care, or ensure a social safety net. It's about insisting services are provided efficiently, get to only the people that need them, and achieve the desired results. Fiscal conservatives have hearts too — but we also insist on using our brains, and that means demanding results and holding government accountable for producing them.
To me, fiscal conservatism means balancing budgets — not running deficits that the next generation can't afford. It means improving the efficiency of delivering services by finding innovative ways to do more with less. It means cutting taxes when possible and prudent to do so, raising them overall only when necessary to balance the budget, and only in combination with spending cuts. It means when you run a surplus, you save it; you don't squander it. And most importantly, being a fiscal conservative means preparing for the inevitable economic downturns — and by all indications, we've got one coming.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Bloomberg#Economic_issues
In the GOP by contrast the attitude is, "Gimme tax cuts. I don't care if we git us one o them thar deficits. It only counts if the libra soshulists do it like Barack Osama Bin Bama. And it ain't none got to do with our boys in uniform. The way I see it the libras just wanna cut the military to help the terrists win. More tax cuts and more military! Cut welfare and make negros git a jerb but keep yer hands offen mah Medihcarr! Mitt Romney 2012! Derka derr!"