@Cycloptichorn,
The opinion piece you referenced notes the division among House Republicans between those who seek to seriously address our growing deficit and accumulated debt problems with meaningful reductions in both entitlement and discretionary spending programs, and others more concerned about risky moves in an election year. It is interesting to note that this debate doesn't even occur in the Democrat controlled Senate, which hasn't passed a budget in several years or in an Administration led by a President who fecklessly submits highly unrealistic budget proposals which do nothing to address our growing debt problem, year after year.
A very cynical game is being played here in which retaining political power is very clearly the top priority among Democrtats, even in the face of very serious gathering problems for our national solvency. They are trying to maneuver Republicans into making the first moves to address the debt problem and the difficult actions that requires. At the political level this can be rationalized. However, considering the public responsibilities entrusted to them, this is truly contemptible.
Perhaps Cyclo would care to speculate on the President's failure to take any action with respect to the findings of the Simpson Bowles commission (or that of its leaders) on our national debt problem. He established the commission, and spoke boldly, loudly , and as always vaguely about his intent to address the problem. He has done nothing about it, and the budget proposals he has submitted to the Congress indicate he intends to do nothing.
We're stuck with virtually zero interest rates with a government that can't afford more in view of its debt burden and a Federal Reserve that is committted to preserving its ability to borrow, and therefore unable to act to limit the inflation that is steadily growing. (Take a look at the trajectory of the gold price over the last five years.)
