Anti-deficit republican throws his state into deficit

[ksen]

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/a...ebt-payments-to-make-up-for-walker-s-tax-cuts

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, facing a $283 million deficit that needs to be closed by the end of June, will skip more than $100 million in debt payments to balance the books thrown into disarray by his tax cuts.

From Reagan back in the 80s to Walker and Brownback today deficit hawk republicans continue to throw their budgets into deficit through the enactment of tax cuts.

The evidence is pretty clear that tax cuts don't cause surpluses, they cause deficits.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Has he tried giving more tax breaks to the wealthy in order to balance out the budget?

 

[ksen]

Yes!

http://walker.wi.gov/newsroom/speec...y-governor-scott-walker’s-2015-budget-address

Last year, the VanDrisses were happy to see their property tax bill go down. In fact, largely because of our reforms and the flexibility we gave to local governments, property taxes on a typical home in Wisconsin are $131 less this year than they were in 2010.

Tonight, I am proud to say that our state budget will continue those reforms, so the property tax bill on a typical home will be even lower during the next two years. Just as I promised, property taxes by the end of 2016 will be lower than they were in 2014. That means lower property taxes for 6 years in a row.

 

[Achwienichtig]

Walker proposed his budget Feb. 3, recommending a $300 million cut in funding for the University of Wisconsin system and the removal of restrictions on the state’s private-school voucher program.

Why is the university system always the first to get budget cuts?

He also wants to channel money away from the public school system and into the private school system. I'm sure that will get the teachers' unions on his side.

 

[laughing dog]

Walker proposed his budget Feb. 3, recommending a $300 million cut in funding for the University of Wisconsin system and the removal of restrictions on the state’s private-school voucher program.

Why is the university system always the first to get budget cuts?

He also wants to channel money away from the public school system and into the private school system. I'm sure that will get the teachers' unions on his side.

Given what happened four years ago when Walker and the Republicans passed laws eviscerating all public employee unions except police and firefighters, he has already permanently lost the teachers' unions.

The OP misses the point. Republicans know tax cuts cause deficits which then give them a fiscal excuse to reduce spending. It's a strategy to shrink the areas of government that they dislike.

 

[Achwienichtig]

Why is the university system always the first to get budget cuts?

He also wants to channel money away from the public school system and into the private school system. I'm sure that will get the teachers' unions on his side.

Given what happened four years ago when Walker and the Republicans passed laws eviscerating all public employee unions except police and firefighters, he has already permanently lost the teachers' unions.

The OP misses the point. Republicans know tax cuts cause deficits which then give them a fiscal excuse to reduce spending. It's a strategy to shrink the areas of government that they dislike.

I'm afraid my sarcasm about the teachers' unions didn't get conveyed.

In any case, I don't think Republicans really make the connection between cutting taxes and increasing the deficit. At least, I don't think your run of the mill republican makes that connection. Honestly, I believe it's stupid, unexamined ideology that drives them. Suggesting that they actually have a plan is giving them more credit than I think they deserve.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Given what happened four years ago when Walker and the Republicans passed laws eviscerating all public employee unions except police and firefighters, he has already permanently lost the teachers' unions.

The OP misses the point. Republicans know tax cuts cause deficits which then give them a fiscal excuse to reduce spending. It's a strategy to shrink the areas of government that they dislike.

I'm afraid my sarcasm about the teachers' unions didn't get conveyed.

In any case, I don't think Republicans really make the connection between cutting taxes and increasing the deficit. At least, I don't think your run of the mill republican makes that connection. Honestly, I believe it's stupid, unexamined ideology that drives them. Suggesting that they actually have a plan is giving them more credit than I think they deserve.

Based on recent events, it seems frightening that the Republicans actually are trying to "starve the beast".

 

[arkirk]

Yes!

http://walker.wi.gov/newsroom/speec...y-governor-scott-walker’s-2015-budget-address

Last year, the VanDrisses were happy to see their property tax bill go down. In fact, largely because of our reforms and the flexibility we gave to local governments, property taxes on a typical home in Wisconsin are $131 less this year than they were in 2010.

Tonight, I am proud to say that our state budget will continue those reforms, so the property tax bill on a typical home will be even lower during the next two years. Just as I promised, property taxes by the end of 2016 will be lower than they were in 2014. That means lower property taxes for 6 years in a row.

Now for phase II...............the poor people out campaign. To balance the budget, just induce the State's poor and underprivileged to move to other states. Now this can easily be accomplished buy discontinuing all welfare and unemployment programs and giving the teachers a pay cut.
That ought to do it!

 

[laughing dog]

Given what happened four years ago when Walker and the Republicans passed laws eviscerating all public employee unions except police and firefighters, he has already permanently lost the teachers' unions.

The OP misses the point. Republicans know tax cuts cause deficits which then give them a fiscal excuse to reduce spending. It's a strategy to shrink the areas of government that they dislike.

I'm afraid my sarcasm about the teachers' unions didn't get conveyed.

In any case, I don't think Republicans really make the connection between cutting taxes and increasing the deficit. At least, I don't think your run of the mill republican makes that connection. Honestly, I believe it's stupid, unexamined ideology that drives them. Suggesting that they actually have a plan is giving them more credit than I think they deserve.

For some people, it is part of a plan. Ronald Reagan's budget director, David Stockman, publicly admitted that was part of the plan when Reagan was in office. I do agree that for others, cutting taxes is a kneejerk reaction. And, when there is a resulting deficit, the kneejerk reaction is to cut spending to erase the deficit. Either way, it works out just fine for their ideology.

 

[fromderinside]

Why should the tax cutters be the ones to be budget cutters. Seems to me that if government needs reform then one should reform government. Apparently, for Republicans, it is responsible for government to provide fewer services than they are chartered to provide. Why not just reform government? Oh yeah, that would mean some of your own sacred cows be sacrificed.

 

[Shadowy Man]

Apparently, for Republicans, it is responsible for government to provide fewer services than they are chartered to provide. Why not just reform government?

They've painted themselves into a corner with their anti-tax mantra. To get out they'd have to actually figure out how to make government efficient and they simply don't know how to do that.

Not that the Democrats know how to make it more efficient either. Throwing money at problems does generally help solve them, but it also creates a lot of waste unless you do it very efficiently.

I bet that people might be willing to pay a little more in taxes if they felt it wasn't going to be wasted.

 

[bilby]

Walker proposed his budget Feb. 3, recommending a $300 million cut in funding for the University of Wisconsin system and the removal of restrictions on the state’s private-school voucher program.

Why is the university system always the first to get budget cuts?

He also wants to channel money away from the public school system and into the private school system. I'm sure that will get the teachers' unions on his side.

Cuts to education are a win-win - less education means more stupid people; and more stupid people means more people voting Republican...

 

[jonatha]

Why is the university system always the first to get budget cuts?

Education and roads are the two big budget items in most states.

 

[laughing dog]

Apparently, for Republicans, it is responsible for government to provide fewer services than they are chartered to provide. Why not just reform government?

They've painted themselves into a corner with their anti-tax mantra. To get out they'd have to actually figure out how to make government efficient and they simply don't know how to do that.

Not that the Democrats know how to make it more efficient either. Throwing money at problems does generally help solve them, but it also creates a lot of waste unless you do it very efficiently.

I bet that people might be willing to pay a little more in taxes if they felt it wasn't going to be wasted.

From what I can tell, Tea party types think any tax dollar not spend on them or defense(national or local) is a waste. And that is who Walker is playing towards right now.

 

[Mageth]

Why is the university system always the first to get budget cuts?

State universities (e.g., U. Wisconsin) are sometimes seen as a "bastion of liberalism". Hell, they even have liberal arts departments and award liberal arts degrees!

 

[Achwienichtig]

Yes, I suppose it was in college when I started questioning my conservative beliefs. Now that I'm given over to the dark side of liberalism, I too am another example of how college corrupts the youth. I really should be embarrassed at having thought long and hard over my beliefs, rather than just listening to Rush Limbaugh. Yes! Defund those corrupt bastions of liberalism!

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Why is the university system always the first to get budget cuts?

He also wants to channel money away from the public school system and into the private school system. I'm sure that will get the teachers' unions on his side.

Cuts to education are a win-win - less education means more stupid people; and more stupid people means more people voting Republican...

Nah. Both sides have their undereducated bases to rely on. The difference may be that the dumb Democrat base votes due to history and the dumb Republican base votes because of "their gut."