• @veni_vedi_veni
    link
    195 hours ago

    Yup, unfortunately people don’t understand that policies only change the equilibrium, but sometimes take longer than electoral cycles to see effect.

    That’s why no party really gives a shit about bringing down the national debt, because twofold:

    • people hate you in your term because that’s less money being spent for their benefit now
    • the opposition can have more spending room to provide more benefits in their term, making them more popular.
    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      144 minutes ago

      The Republicans will never reduce the debt because the only cuts that would make a difference are the ones that are the most popular with their voters. Couple that with tax cuts and the math just doesn’t work for deficit and debt reduction with a Republican government.

      Are they going to cut Social Security? No, too many older voters that depend on that income. Medicare? Nope, same thing.

      Will they cut the military? Of course not, they wouldn’t be able to virtue signal about how patriotic they are.

      They’ll surely cut the education and IRS budgets, but the education cuts wouldn’t make a significant difference and the IRS cuts actually increase deficits because then the IRS can’t go after the rich.

      The Democrats wouldn’t cut any of those things either, but if the Democrats increased taxes for top earners and top-earning corporations, and implemented a wealth tax, the increased revenue actually could reduce the deficit.