Topic: Jeb Bush - $1 tax increases for $10 in cuts sound okay

[Pandora]

Jeb Bush told the House Budget Committee yesterday that he would support tax increases to cut the US national deficit.

The Washington Post reported, via Free Republic:

    Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, in a break with his party, said he could support tax increases to help reduce the federal government’s budget deficit.

    The brother of former President George W. Bush told a congressional panel in Washington today that he could back a theoretical deficit-reduction package that would include $1 in tax increases for every $10 in spending cuts.

    “If you could bring to me a majority of people to say that we’re going to have $10 in spending cuts for $1 of revenue enhancement — put me in, coach,” Bush told the House Budget Committee. “This will prove I’m not running for anything,” he said, prompting laughter from lawmakers and the audience.

    “I appreciate your candor,” said Representative Lloyd Doggett, a Texas Democrat who had pressed Bush on the issue. Bush later told reporters, “I don’t think you shut down every option in order to find common ground.”

It’s too bad Jeb fell for this stunt. He should know by now that Democrats have no intention of cutting spending. It was a trick question.

Not one more dime.  Period.  End of story.

[IronDioPriest]

Spoken by someone who doesn't understand that the verdict is in: government is the problem, not the solution.

Hey, in an ideal world where government could magically become that which it has never been in our lifetimes - responsible and accountable - there is a deal I would accept. For instance, let's say that we could get a budget balancing/debt reduction deal that would undo every single bureaucracy outside of military, privatize or eliminate all their functions, codify constitutional prohibition against ever running a debt or deficit again, and do so in exchange for a modest increase in taxes, that is a trade I might accept if I had reason to believe it was genuine.

But I live in the real world, not Jeb Bush's world.

[Pandora]

... let's say that we could get a budget balancing/debt reduction deal that would undo every single bureaucracy outside of military, privatize or eliminate all their functions, codify constitutional prohibition against ever running a debt or deficit again, and do so in exchange for a modest increase in taxes ...

Accomplishing the former would render the latter unnecessary.  Taxes could even be cut, and if they were, what with a sweeping out of a plethora of onerous and ridiculous regulations, DC would soon be awash in money.  Not that I believe that would be a good thing, mind you, but there would be plenty of revenue with which to pay down/off the debt and deficit.

But, as you write, this is not the world in which we live.

Matter of fact, Nancy Pelosi recently wrote a piece for USA Today, extolling the economy-growing benefits of TAXES.

Today is one of those days when I feel so depressed .....

[Glock32]

Jeb Bush represents the typical GOP insider.  That's the mentality they've had for decades.  It's why the Left has kicked our asses politically with only a few short-lived exceptions here and there.  So much wrong with this thinking, Pandora has covered most of it.

The only thing I would add is that even if you accepted the premise that it's a revenue rather than a spending problem, we have seen time and again that cutting taxes leads to an increase in revenues. So that right there should put an end to the revenue argument, but it doesn't. And that's because it never has been about revenue, it's always been about expanding the reach and authority of government.

Jeb and his ilk are the technocrat tinkerer types. That's a big part of why we're in this mess in the first place. We're at the point where a scalpel isn't going to do the job, no it's time for the bone saw to come out. We've got gangrenous limbs and it's now a choice of either lopping off entire limbs or dying of systemic sepsis. It continues to appear that the latter will be the default choice, given our depraved political class's unwillingness to even discuss the former.

[trapeze]

Fortunately, there is little to zero chance of the US ever electing another Bush to the presidency.

[Pandora]

Unfortunately, there are many who think like them.

I pray to God Romney will prove to not be one.

[Libertas]

I wouldn't hold my breath, too many buy this straw man argument.  Pubbies since the 80's have been promised cuts that never come, all we get is more taxes and higher spending...

The merry-go-round has to stop, by choice or by events it will.

[Sectionhand]

Anyone who seriously thinks that the Democrats would really go along with a ten-to-one budget cut to tax increase ratio is crazy to start with ! 

[Libertas]

Anyone who seriously thinks that the Democrats would really go along with a ten-to-one budget cut to tax increase ratio is crazy to start with ! 

So, are you saying there are not crazy people in DC?!

I know you know better!

So, it is down to overcoming the crazies...

Odds?

 

[ToddF]

I would vote to raise revenues from $2.2 trillion to $2.3 trillion if in conjunction from spending going from $3.8 trillion to $2.9 trillion next year.

Too bad no Bush would actually sign for, nor advocate such.  So what is Jeb babbling about, anyway?

[Libertas]

Jeb is just beating around the...umm...himself.