Republicans Are *NOT* Fiscal Conservatives

One of the main arguments that Republicans persistently bring up in explaining their opposition to health care reform is the costs associated with any plan. Regrettably, that's a bunch of BS. Republicans, regardless of how they advertise themselves, are most definitely NOT the party of fiscal responsibility. Fiscal responsibility is simply a cloak they hide behind in order to vote against something that the vast majority of Americans support.

Republicans have absolutely no problem spending money, as can be witnessed by this nice easy-to-read chart documenting the increases of the national debt during Democratic and Republican administrations: (Click the image for a larger version)



Citizens for Tax Justice did a nice little comparison between what Republicans universally supported, the Bush tax cuts, and the health care plan that has been proposed by Democrats in the House.

Newly revised estimates from Citizens for Tax Justice show that the Bush tax cuts cost almost $2.5 trillion over the decade after they were first enacted (2001-2010). Preliminary estimates from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office show that the House Democrats’ health care reform legislation is projected to cost $1 trillion over the decade after it would be enacted (2010-2019).

And yet, many of the lawmakers who argue that the health care reform legislation is “too costly” are the same lawmakers who supported the Bush tax cuts. Their own voting record demonstrates that health care reform is not a matter of costs, but a matter of priorities.

The tax legislation enacted under President George W. Bush from 2001 through 2006 will cost $2.48 trillion over the 2001-2010 period. This includes the revenue loss of $2.11 trillion that results directly from the Bush tax cuts as well as the $379 billion in additional interest payments on the national debt that we must make since the tax cuts were deficit-financed.

Republicans are all about fiscal responsibility when it means saying no to something that will benefit the poor and middle classes. But when a bill with nearly three times the cost that has more than FIFTY PERCENT of the benefit going to LESS THAN FIVE PERCENT of the people, Republicans have no such moral obligations.