Open Thread - Calling Bush's Bluff Edition

by Steve

Tuesday’s Post says that after spending like a drunken sailor and giving the treasury over to the wealthy and defense contractors the last six years, Bush will suddenly embrace fiscal responsibility in next week’s State of the Union message. The Post says that Bush will challenge Democrats to do what Bush has never done: clean up his own mess and sign on to balancing the budget. And how does Bush want to do it? By making his handouts to the wealthy permanent, continue to drain the Social Security trust fund to pay for those handouts, slash Medicare and Social Security to pay for his party, and continue to shovel money at his never-ending wars.

Fine. If Bush really wants to throw the gauntlet down to Democrats next week and challenge them to balance the budget, Democrats should throw it back in his face by calling for a stop to the Social Security raids, reinstitution of the upper income tax rates of the Clinton era, a rescission of the dividend and capital gains give-aways under Bush, and a cut in the defense department budget of at least $50 billion a year, which is supported by a majority of the American people, including Republicans.

Let the Democrats make the case that as long as Bush is suddenly concerned about cleaning up his fiscal mess, Democrats are more than willing to have that discussion, call his bluff, and go several steps better. Let's ask the voters if they would rather drain Social Security and continue letting the wealthy get a free ride, or make everyone start paying their fair share.

OK, it's your turn now.

And yes, I've banned Scout once again.