Friday, January 14, 2011

I've Got ... Site Specificity

In a stunning upset, Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) has not just issued a platitude about "cutting government spending", but has actually identified specific areas for cuts. And those cuts include, amazingly enough, reductions in the defense budget (to the tune of nearly $70 billion). Other reductions include a pay freeze for federal employees, cutting the federal workforce, and selling excess federal land (which isn't really a spending cut so much as it is a temporary cash infusion).

One doesn't have to think Rep. Brady's plan is wise to at least give him credit for doing what so many Republicans have shied away from doing -- saying "I will cut this." So good for him.

Still, it's worth noting that Brady's plan would shave less than $200 billion off the deficit, not an insignificant figure, but hardly the whole hog. If Republicans are going to insist that tax cuts aren't something we, quote, "pay for", we're not really going to be in a position to do any serious tackling of the budget deficit.

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