Former decent person Douglas Holtz-Eakin responds to today’s grim unemployment report:
But mostly this is an alarm bell for the lame-duck Congress. No more games — extend all the tax cuts for two years, patch the AMT, and turn to cutting spending and tax reform.
Going forward, Congress has lost the luxury of extended debate on boutique social issues. All focus should be on growth. Every policy should be evaluated for its impact on growth. Wake up.
Ah yes, those “boutique” social issues. Nice phrase there. Well, Doug — I can call you Doug, can’t I? — there wouldn’t be any extended debate on these social issues if the nitwits in your party would just let them go. So why not tell them to let it go? Likewise, 80% of the Bush tax cuts would have been extended long ago if not for the nitwits in your party. (And, in fairness, a small number of nitwits in my party too.) So why not tell them to take the 80% and move on? Cat got your tongue or something?
But that’s nothing compared to your call for spending cuts. Seriously? Spending cuts? That’s the policy you think is vitally necessary for economic growth? Spending cuts? Because — what? Unemployment is too low for your taste? God save us.
