Legal Commentary

Does WaPo Know There Is A Depression Going On?

By Big Tent Democrat

GOP House leader John Boehner has been rightly ridiculed for his absurd spending freeze plan in the throes of a economic depression. Boehner of course offered this plan as a solution to the coming depression. The WaPo Editorial Board wrings its hands over "excessive spending" without even referencing the current economic situation:

More noteworthy is the significant jump in domestic spending that is built into the annual baseline. Critics of the spending package say that the increase is 8 percent over last year's levels; for complicated bookkeeping reasons, the number as scored by the Congressional Budget Office is closer to 6 percent. Either way, this jump raises both short- and long-term concerns. . . . [I]ncreases of this size cannot continue; it's worrisome that the president's proposed budget for 2010 appears to envision another increase in excess of 6 percent in this category.

You see? Fred Hiatt and Co. are worried about the 6% increase in spending, but not the 6.2% contraction in the economy in the 4th quarter. They are not worried that we are shedding jobs at a 600,000 per month clip. Yet again, the disconnect in the Beltway is incredible.

Speaking for me only

Full post as published by TalkLeft on March 09, 2009 (boomark / email).