Let's look at it this way...if the tax cuts for the rich WERE made eternal...why go on?

[Ken Burch]

We all know it would have to mean that nothing progressive could ever be done by the government, and without the possibility of anything progressive in the future, this party couldn't possibly have a reason to exist anymore. It'd be back to the policies of Grover Cleveland, and none of those policies helped anyone.

Is there anyone here who could seriously argue that any issues still mattered, that there'd be any reason for this party to even bother nominating candidates, if eternal fiscal conservatism was imposed?

Especially since we can assume that the party would then go totally right-wing on the handful of side issues that Bill Clinton wasn't right-wing on?

Obviously same-sex marriage would never be legalized. Obviously, the fight for choice would be lost. If you're against social spending you're right-wing on those issues too. Obviously, the defense budget would never be cut again, since if you're against social spending you're a hawk.

Those of you who are trying to sell us on the idea(and there have been some threads on this today)that it's "no biggie" to give up on ending the tax cuts for the rich have an obligation to tell us why this WOULDN'T make politics utterly meaningless and wouldn't be the end of history. It's on you guys.

Tell us why caving on the tax cuts for the rich WOULDN'T make this party useless and pointless? Tell us why it would matter after that who won in 2012, since whoever won would have to be governing like Sarah Palin on everything if that person agreed with her on economics.