Eugene Robinson: Note to Republicans: Cuts don't cut it

[cal04]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/03/AR2011030304233.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

After slamming Democrats for not focusing on "jobs, jobs, jobs," Republicans have decided to ignore their own winning message in favor of "cuts, cuts, cuts." This is bad economics - and bad politics.

If you don't believe me, read a new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, published Thursday, that has what should be sobering news for Republicans who keep telling us that their radical assault on the size and scope of government has the support of "the American people."

(snip)
Note to the GOP: Americans recognize that public-sector jobs are, in fact, jobs. In fact, according to the new poll, they hold positive views of federal, state and local workers, especially teachers.

Yes, we must reduce massive deficits before they become a strangling, crushing burden. But most economists believe that now, as we struggle to emerge from a truly devastating recession, would be the worst possible time to make deep budget cuts - especially since the cuts in question, which affect only the sliver of federal spending deemed discretionary, will have negligible impact on the deficit problem. Entitlements are the real problem.

[Jim Lane]

1. Unfortunately, Robinson's summary doesn't cut it, either.

He writes: "Entitlements are the real problem."

No, the real problem is health care costs, imperialist military adventures, and the Bush tax cuts. This is especially true in the context of the long-term deficit, to which he's referring.

Health care costs affect Medicare and Medicaid, which are among the programs commonly lumped together as "entitlements". In that respect, he's not completely off base. He's still buying into the right-wing framing of the issue, though.

Of course, I agree with him about Republican hypocrisy re jobs.