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Republicans portray themselves as champions of fiscal responsibility. But as Michael Tomasky argues, they need the debt to push through their radical and unpopular agenda.

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CONSTITUENT: You guys are protecting your sacred cows. Your oil company subsidies, everybody understands that. Just take ‘em, they don’t need them. The tax cuts for the extremely wealthy, they’re doing great, they don’t need them. You can’t come to us and say, ‘We’re going to take your Medicare away because we don’t think it’s working for you.’ [...] That’s why your boys [Republican leadership] are walking out of the room. They say take these off the table. Tell Mr. Cantor to put them back on the table.

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ORIGINAL: DarkSteven

The GOP does not like debt.  But it's a junkie, unable to kick it.

The GOP is addicted to tax cuts.  By professing that the Laffer curve works, they rationalize that tax cuts create so much private sector economic activity that the government actually takes in more than it lost in cuts.  It's been shown that the resulting deficit is crippling by Bush II.  The GOP's been cutting taxes while keeping spending high and professing fiscal responsibility.

The Dems used to buy into the fact that tax hikes were necessary to pay for increased spending.  But Obama's been keeping deficits high too.

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ORIGINAL: erieangel

Who was who coined the term "tax and spend Democrats"? I remember Reagan used to say that a lot but I think it predates him. Time to ensure Americans that the GOP is a "borrow and spend" party. Which would you rather have in charge?

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ORIGINAL: Owner59

Republicans portray themselves as champions of fiscal responsibility. But as Michael Tomasky argues, they need the debt to push through their radical and unpopular agenda.

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ORIGINAL: tazzygirl

His stance is so strong that if he ever hit the Oval Office he would soon be called a liar.

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ORIGINAL: imperatrixx

It's actually true, especially in recent years. This shows a nifty little chart of debt as percentage of GDP since 1945:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_debt_by_U.S._presidential_terms

Under all but one Democrat (Obama), percentage went down. It went up in all but 2 of the Republicans listed - Eisenhower and Nixon's first term.

Seriously it's like a roller coaster. Red goes up, blue goes down, red goes up, blue goes down.

ETA - I actually think it's interesting that people are riding on Obama for national debt. His percentage change (9%) is less than both of Reagan's terms (11.3 and 9.3%), Bush I (13%) and Bush II's second term (20.7%, more than twice Obama's) - compared to recent GOP Presidents, Obama's change in the debt is below average.