Meet the Press (McConnell and Armey)

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell appeared on Meet the Press this morning. He is inept and relies on tired political talking points to argue the economic vision of the GOP. When pressed by David Gregory to answer a simple question: Would the extension of the Bush tax cuts be "unpaid for" and therefore be paid via added US debt?, McConnell dodged the easily rebuttable question and kept mumbling about "raising taxes is not a good idea in a recession". Although McConnell's assertion is true, it is cannot be inspiring to voters and simply not good for the GOP if it's Senate leader cannot articulate a more pointed response than that.

What McConnell should have said (with conviction and purpose) is: David, the premise of your question is that an extension of the tax cuts will lead to a bigger deficit. That premise is absolutely wrong. In fact, the opposite is true. Certainty that the tax cuts will be extended, including NOT raising the capital gains tax, will lead to a reduced deficit precisely because these measures will accrue to elevated economic activity, more jobs, and consequently more tax revenue. Moreover, Mr Gregory, we should be looking at steeper tax cuts as a direct means to get this economy going, an economy that is at best stuck in neutral and at worst, going in reverse. Lastly, David, following the wrongheadedness of your premise, we should raise taxes across the board to close the deficit. Seriously David, do you think that would be good economic policy?

Contrast McConnell's feebleness with former GOP House Majority Leader's Dick Armey's performance on the same show. When questioned about extreme views by fiscal hawks about radical changes to Social Security and Medicare, Dick Armey's riposte was that he, following Rep. Paul Ryan (R), favors a policy that would allow people to choose between staying in the current Social Security or Medicare program or opting to save and provide for their own well-being. To paraphrase Armey: "If these programs are as good as claimed by its supporters, why do its same supporters fear allowing people a choice?"

Free to Choose = Economic and Political Liberty.