Tim Pawlenty’s Deficit Fraud

For an article really be “about” how the budget deficit should be smaller, the article would really need to suggest some programs whose spending should be reduced or else some taxes that should be increased. This makes it difficult to characterize this Tim Pawlenty Politico op-ed. It refers to the federal government’s practice of having expenditures that exceed revenues as a “Ponzi scheme” (which is a mischaracterization, but never mind) and seems to call for a reduction in borrowing. But it doesn’t mention a single area in which Pawlenty would prefer to see lower expenditures or higher revenues.

The only concrete policy idea Pawlenty offers is that congress should reject Barack Obama’s policy proposals:

Spending reduction tools alone will not meet this challenge. We must also grow the economy. To that end, Congress should reject federal legislation that places additional burdens on growth, such as the proposed health care overhaul, cap-and-trade bill, labor union card check and tax increases.

Even if you accept all this, however, that leaves you with the status quo. A status quo which, according to Pawlenty, is unsustainable. And when you get right down to it, the health care bill reduces the deficit. Cap and trade can easily be structured so as to produce at least a moderate amount of deficit reduction. And of course tax increases reduce the deficit. So while he’s ready to lead a flock of deficit peacocks he’s clearly not ready to actually face up to the problems facing the country.