BCT Editorial – 1/3/10

This page was last updated on January 22, 2010.

Under control; Editorial; Beaver County Times; January 3, 2010.

This editorial is a hoot. Read it closely and you find the editorial says deficit spending was bad during the Bush administration but is justified during the Obama administration. For at least the last four years preceding the 2008 election, and likely from the first day of the Bush administration, Times editorials constantly and correctly complained about federal deficit spending, the country’s growing debt, and the burden that debt puts on us and future generations. Referring to these complaints as crocodile tears, I questioned the motives in my critiques because Times editorials concurrently lobbied for more spending on just about every proposal that came down the pike. As I’ve noted previously, since we elected President Obama, Times editorials now support deficit spending. Seven previous examples are “Last resort,” “Limited options,” “Budget crunch,” “Making the grade,” “Failing grade,” “Move it along,” and “Double-dip recession.”

“Pay-as-you-go was in effect in the 1990s, and it helped keep deficit spending under control.” Not exactly. The economy took care of the deficits and both Congress and then-President Clinton worked around the law when convenient.

“To return to the politics of deficits and debts, pay-go, as it is called, was jettisoned by congressional Republicans once Bush became president.” Again, not exactly. The so-called pay-go law expired in 2002 and was not re-enacted.

As for complaining about others playing politics, what is it when the Times takes different positions on an issue based on who is in office?

Finally, the editorial fails to note the role played by folks like the Times. Review Times editorials and, as I noted above, you’ll find they supported just about every spending program that comes down the pike.