Money, Money, Money

I just watched a political advertisement for Trump.  "Here's what you'll get if Donald Trump is elected president."  It promises big tax cuts and credits for individuals and businesses, amounting to thousands of dollars.  A quick calculation reveals that these tax cuts could total hundreds of billions of dollars per year.  How very generous of him.  One thing the ad didn't mention is the even bigger tax cuts he promises for wealthy people like himself, so he won't have to cheat so much.

The federal government is already spending more than it takes in.  This is one of the biggest complaints of the Republicans.  They complain loudly about how much the national debt has increased during the Obama administration.  Never mind the fact that the deficit was already at a record high when he arrived at the white house, and it has declined dramatically since then.

Many Republicans don't have a clue about the difference between deficit and debt.  When deficit spending is high, the debt rises quickly.  That was the case inherited by Obama when he came into office.  He has worked to bring the deficit down.  When the deficit is low, the national debt rises slowly.  And when there is a surplus instead of a deficit, the national debt falls.  The last time that happened was when another Democrat, Bill Clinton, was in office.

The record of fiscal responsibility for the past several decades is very clear.  Democrats have reduced the deficit, and Republicans have increased it.  George Bush raised it to the highest level ever. But as high as the deficit was by the end of the Bush administration, Trump's policies will blow that out of the water.  People seem to think that because Trump is a business man, he knows something about economics and fiscal policy.  He doesn't.  All Donald Trump knows is how to scam people and government for his own benefit.

I have said before that Trump appeals to the stupid.  And his tax policies are a blatant appeal to the stupid.  They will be a disaster for the federal government.  Sure, there are plenty of anti-government yokels who think that's a good thing.  But they aren't smart enough to look at the consequences of a bankrupt government.  Trump wants to dramatically increase military spending.  There won't even be money to keep it at its current levels, let alone trying to increase it.  Look for big cuts in all kinds of programs, including Medicare and Social Security.  No money for highways, police or veterans.  All those farmers in Iowa who love Trump so much will no longer get their subsidies.  What will all the Trump fan-boys be saying when they no longer get their government benefits?  Somehow, I think they'll find a way to blame it on Obama.

Trump is trying to buy votes with all his promises of big tax cuts.  But he's helping out rich folks much more than the rest of us.  They won't be hurt so much when Medicare folds, or when their pension check doesn't arrive because the government can't meet its obligations.  Trump is a con-artist, and millions of yokels buy his bullshit.  I could laugh at the thought of all the Trump fan-boys finally getting what they deserve.  But they're too stupid to know what the problem is.  They'll just blame everything on Democrats, and then vote to re-elect the con-artist-in-chief.