Gov. Daniels (R-IN) to Slash Spending, Even if it Costs Jobs

"Missed it by that much."
from ThinkProgress

Do you think we will ever learn? For whatever reason--the reason doesn't matter really--the political pendulum swings from left to right. The Republicans win a big election. And then, they become political bulldozers, charging full-steam ahead with their pet agendas, regardless of what their actual "mandate" was.

This time, the pendulum swung faster than it really should have. No political party, no matter how masterful, could have put the economy back together in less than two years. Republicans really won because of a) some of the public is fickle, b) some of the public is uninformed, c) some Democrats are big babies, and sat out the election because of their own pet issues, and d) Republicans promised to focus on jobs, jobs, jobs.

So, the Republicans won a big election for a variety of reasons. And then, once they got in, they've done what they always do: overreached. Plus, they claim that everything they're doing: trying to regulate abortion into oblivion, trying to stomp on gay people, trying to bust unions, cutting taxes for the rich. . .is what "the people" voted for. Oh, and let's not forget that any cutting of taxes and services will nearly always benefit the rich and hurt the working people. Cut Social Security! Medicare! Pensions! But oh no, the petroleum companies must get multi-billion dollar subsidies! Bank of America musn't pay taxes! Bush tax cuts for the rich are essential! See what I'm getting at? 

I sort of predicted this, though it doesn't take a genius. And the hard right pendulum swing in 2010 is likely going to careen back to the left if the Republicans keep this up. Which is probably part of the reason for the Citizens United ruling, Karl Rove's young but powerful PAC groups, the Koch Brothers' muscle flexing, and the new united front of Republican Governors trying to squash the remaining unions. With all of that, Republicans will have far more money to spend on election advertising. Hopefully, that will be an overreach as well, and the all-GOP-all-the-time nasty political ads will just turn people off.

[Excerpt]

Gov. Daniels Says Governments Should Slash Spending ‘Even If They End Up Seriously Costing A Lot Of Jobs’



When asked earlier this month about the job loss that would occur if the continuing resolution passed by House Republicans were actually implemented, Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) replied “so be it.” “We’re broke. It’s time for us to get serious about how we’re spending the nation’s money,” he said. . .
 
Read more at: Think Progress