Dec 2nd, 2011
As substantial (not to mention long overdue) cuts the U.S. defense budget loom, Kevin Drum takes aim at one of the more dubious arguments against them.
"Defense hawks like to insist that we should judge the Pentagon budget as a percentage of GDP. The Bill Kristol contingent, for example, claims that we should never allow defense spending to fall below 4 percent of GDP. But is this a sensible way of looking at things? For some programs it is. Social Security and Medicare, for example, are both inherently tied to population growth and living standards, so as those go up so will outlays. But in other areas this doesn't make so much sense. Do we need more embassies overseas just because our GDP has grown? Not really. There will be some increase in wages that's tied to economic growth, but that's about it."
Showing posts with label budget reform. Show all posts
Showing posts with label budget reform. Show all posts
Friday, December 2, 2011
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
About That "Super Committee"
August 2nd, 2011
Jonathan Chait sees a potential silver lining for Democratic priorities:
"I actually think the design of this plan is fascinating. You take a couple of the most powerful forces preventing major policy change -- partisan gridlock and special interest influence -- and turn them into forces for change by rejiggering the default setting."
Jonathan Chait sees a potential silver lining for Democratic priorities:
"I actually think the design of this plan is fascinating. You take a couple of the most powerful forces preventing major policy change -- partisan gridlock and special interest influence -- and turn them into forces for change by rejiggering the default setting."
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Paul's Pout
April 13th, 2011
While perusing some of the reactions on the right to today's Presidential budget address, I came across this little gem from Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI).
From TPM:
"House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) attacked the partisan bent of the speech, then characterized it as "a political broadside from our campaigner in chief."
This is an abject lesson in how to make an ass of one's self. How can we take seriously a critique of the President's proposals as over-politicized when the critique itself resorts to petty political name calling?
While perusing some of the reactions on the right to today's Presidential budget address, I came across this little gem from Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI).
From TPM:
"House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) attacked the partisan bent of the speech, then characterized it as "a political broadside from our campaigner in chief."
This is an abject lesson in how to make an ass of one's self. How can we take seriously a critique of the President's proposals as over-politicized when the critique itself resorts to petty political name calling?
Friday, April 8, 2011
Strange Bedfellows
April 8th, 2011
Sometimes, the truth of an issue runs way too deep to let general ideological differences or even past animosities interfere with cooperation. Last night, Judy Woodruff shone a light on a very strange limited political-partnership indeed. Ben Jealous and Grover Norquist are working together to fight for major reform of America's unfair, destructive and way too expensive penal system. No. Really.
Key points from the transcript:
Ben Jealous: So, on the one hand, we know that, for instance, drug rehab, dollar for dollar, is seven times more effective for dealing with nonviolent drug addicts, which are the bulk of people in prison, than jail or prison. On the other hand, we also know that, if you look, for instance, at the state of California, when California was known to really have the best public universities in the entire world, like in the '70s and '80s, they were spending 3 percent of their state budget on prisons and 11 percent on their colleges and universities.
Grover Norquist: And when you look at it, you're seeing a lot of people are sent to prison who perhaps ought not to be in prison, in terms of some cost-benefit analysis. And, again, we're conservatives. I think there are a bunch of people who deserve to be in prison forever. I think there are some people that deserve to be in prison for a long time. I don't get weepy about the whole idea. But we are keeping some people in prison who might be better off in drug rehabilitation or under other kinds of house arrest or other kinds of control, other than very expensive prisons.
Sometimes, the truth of an issue runs way too deep to let general ideological differences or even past animosities interfere with cooperation. Last night, Judy Woodruff shone a light on a very strange limited political-partnership indeed. Ben Jealous and Grover Norquist are working together to fight for major reform of America's unfair, destructive and way too expensive penal system. No. Really.
Key points from the transcript:
Ben Jealous: So, on the one hand, we know that, for instance, drug rehab, dollar for dollar, is seven times more effective for dealing with nonviolent drug addicts, which are the bulk of people in prison, than jail or prison. On the other hand, we also know that, if you look, for instance, at the state of California, when California was known to really have the best public universities in the entire world, like in the '70s and '80s, they were spending 3 percent of their state budget on prisons and 11 percent on their colleges and universities.
Grover Norquist: And when you look at it, you're seeing a lot of people are sent to prison who perhaps ought not to be in prison, in terms of some cost-benefit analysis. And, again, we're conservatives. I think there are a bunch of people who deserve to be in prison forever. I think there are some people that deserve to be in prison for a long time. I don't get weepy about the whole idea. But we are keeping some people in prison who might be better off in drug rehabilitation or under other kinds of house arrest or other kinds of control, other than very expensive prisons.
Beyond the fact that I deeply support substantial overhaul of the corrections culture, this seems to me to be the way America is supposed to work. Put aside the differences. Get together. Move forward.
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