Republicans plan to cook the books in 2015 & beyond to make failed trickle-down appear to work

[Triana]

The "nice" headline is: Republicans To Push Controversial Fiscal Policy In 2015

It's flatly incorrect. The correct title: Republicans plan to cook the books in 2015 & beyond to make failed trickle-down appear to work

WASHINGTON, Dec 31 (Reuters) - As Republicans assume control of the entire U.S. Congress in the new year, they are expected to push a controversial change to use more macroeconomic projections in determining the impact of tax and budget legislation on the federal deficit.

Critics say wider use of "dynamic scoring," as the Republican-favored approach is known, would introduce new uncertainties into fiscal policy and degrade the value of present analysis now done by Capitol Hill staff experts.

. . .

The "scoring" of tax and budget bills matters because it can influence whether a bill becomes law. Lawmakers shy from measures that would balloon the deficit. So any math that makes scores look less worrisome has political appeal.

. . .

"In the guise of dynamic scoring, Republicans are trying to rig the system in ways that can be very destructive," said Michigan Democrat Sander Levin in a recent statement.

"The proposed change would undermine fiscal responsibility and further embrace Republican trickle-down economics," he said.

THE REST:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/31/republicans-fiscal-policy-2015_n_6402082.html


BOTTOM LINE: TRICKLE DOWN does not work. It never has. It never will. But Republicans have devised a way to 'cook the books' to make it appear to work even though it doesn't. And that is to put it mildly - VERY destructive.

[hobbit709]

1. They only thing that trickles down is warm, wet, and yellow.

That's why we're called peeons.

[rurallib]

2. If the "media" (totally corporate) doesn't report it

will anyone know?

And you know they will not report it

[Thespian2]

3. The destructive wing

of the Republican party is expected to use any dirty tricks, accounting schemes, while continuing to lie about everything. Oh, yes. I almost forgot, the Repukes have only a destructive wing.

[sendero]

15. I really don't see how..

.. this is any different than "chained CPI" or "birth/death model unemployment figures".

The government has been cooking the books for decades. What's another small increment in the bullshit? It's nothing at all.

This country does not have a budget at all anyway. We are 11 trillion dollars in debt. It can never be paid back and everyone with 2 brain cells knows it. But it can be rolled over into almost infinity and that's what will happen.

[Thespian2]

21. Demos

also have a destructive wing...Third Way...former DLC...Clintons...Obamas, but they do have a faction of the party interested in progressive government.

But, as you say, the debt was never meant to be paid back. And it never will be.

[pocoloco]

19. Why shouldn't they??

It's probably a lot of fun for them and, hell, it works great!!

[Historic NY]

4. They must have that ace boy Congressman Ryan...

working on it.

[Chasstev365]

5. It Means Nothing

If the Democrats won't fight like hell to stop it and we've all seen how strong they've been over the last 15 years.

[n2doc]

6. The plan is to give away the farm to the rich

Then when the deficits balloon, they will be blamed on "entitlements". What a plan. Will Democrats fight the long battle?

[Enthusiast]

17. Yeah. It's real hard to fathom their long term plans.

All we have to do is listen to their TV pundits. They give it away. That's why they have been telling us how Social Security is driving the deficit for years and years. Funny how the President never defends Social Security. He never once said Social Security does not add to the deficit.

Isn't it odd that even though social security has a dedicated funding mechanism, that is in surplus, it is somehow "running out of money". Yet the military, which has no such dedicated funding mechanism, never runs out of money.

The U.S. military costs more than those of the rest of the world combined. We have hundreds of military installations around the world. Just who are we serving with this military? Looks to me like we are using the military to serve the interests of the multinational corporations at the expense of people all over the globe. Just what is the justification for a military this size?

[Iliyah]

7. To put it mildly pursuant to the gop, economic depression is only for the poor

[xchrom]

8. du rec.

[CrispyQ]

9. The American people are being played by both parties.

The next big bailout is in the works. Look for it at the changing of the guard in '16, just like '08. That way, neither administration or party will be blamed. Again, they will tell us it has to be done to save the economy. Then they will hand out giant bonuses to the upper echelons.

[Martin Eden]

10. "The proposed change would undermine fiscal responsibility"

Republicans claim to be "fiscally conservative" but the plain fact of the matter is HUGE BUDGET DEFICITS are essential for their long term agenda of shrinking government to a size that can be drowned in a bathtub. Programs like Social Security and Medicare can't be abolished by direct legislative assault because they are too popular, so the strategy is to force "hard choices" by draining the funds that keep these programs going.

It should be no mystery why GOP policies so often result in huge budget deficits. Their long term agenda demands it. In this context, trickle-down economics is not a failed economic theory -- it's a deliberate strategy that is achieving the desired goals of making the social safety net unaffordable while enriching those who put the politicians in office.

[Wounded Bear]

20. I've said it before...

'Trickle down economics' is working just fine. It is, after all, an economic system designed to further the interests of the wealthy, while abandoning....well, everybody else.

[blondie58]

11. Smoke and mirrors

It is a a Republican specialty.

[jwirr]

12. Cook the books. They can mess with the numbers but I can quarantee them that practice will not

make those of us on the bottom feel any better and in the long run that is what tells us if the economy is getting better - we have jobs, we have money for food, we have housing, and we have health insurance. That is the bottom line. I suspect they are not going to be able to cook that.

[Demeter]

13. There isn't any way, short of burning the books entirely, to cook them any further

The government has told lie upon lie....both GOP and Democrats. Another lie will not cover up anything, nor convince anyone.

There will be great and horrible changes. I live in anticipation that 2016 brings the Change we were promised....but not in a form recognizable to anyone. Those that survive, might benefit.

[Dirty Socialist]

14. It's part of the GOP's Total War Strategy

Destroy everything progressive, including the truth.

[SoapBox]

16. Ugh...I hate Pukes and Baggers.

Liars...cheaters...crooks...

[safeinOhio]

18. Hey, it's working so well in Kansas

we can spring it on the nation.

[Cha]

22. Tragic lol.