Economic Conditions Should Force Both Parties To Reassess Spending Priorities

Evidence that the two major parties are unserious about trimming the major drivers of federal spending – namely, entitlements – comes in a snippet from a Politico piece about the Biden campaign’s messaging struggles on the economy.

As noted elsewhere, polling data shows voters just don’t give the President enough credit –  or any credit at all – for his economic policies. Part of the problem arises from the lack of a clear distinction between Republican and Democratic ideas:

On Social Security, the President earlier this year goaded Republicans into swearing off cuts to the program, heading off what Democrats anticipated would be a high-volume fight. That represented a major victory in the moment. But the longer-term impact, the PCCC and Data for Progress polling found, is that voters remain divided over whether Biden or Trump would be more likely to protect their benefits. Trump publicly urged Republicans to leave social insurance programs alone during that debt ceiling fight earlier this year. The polling found that many respondents don’t believe Republicans would now slash Social Security.

“Biden was almost a victim of his own success,” said Danielle Deiseroth, executive director at Data for Progress. “Yes, we should be educating voters about [Biden’s policies]. … But it’s also about going on offense and picking fights.”

Setting aside the notion that either major party would “slash” entitlement spending…the idea that self-described budget hawks in the GOP are really just parroting Mr. Biden’s line on Social Security and Medicare is revealing.

It’s not just the political expediency, fear, and general cynicism on display. That’s standard operating procedure in official Washington.

It’s the willful fiscal recklessness from the right – all in the name of preserving their electoral skins.

It makes one think that the late P.J. O’Rourke is still as right as rain when he said, “giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.”

Both will end up in the ditch.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.