But back to excessive spending. Check out the health care schemes of Sens. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y. They wish to partially fund their programs by repealing, or allowing to expire, the Bush tax cuts, while adding a tax hike on the "rich."
Greenspan, who calls himself a "libertarian Republican," recently said that Sen. Clinton "wouldn't be a bad president." But how can any self-respecting libertarian Republican support her recently announced $110 billion universal health care program? It mandates health insurance for every American. By the way, when asked whether her plan includes illegal aliens, a Clinton spokeswoman said, "That's one we're going to have to think through a little bit." Oh.
Does this "libertarian Republican" who called Clinton's tax hikes "courage" remember President George H.W. Bush's pledge not to raise taxes? G.H.W.B. raised taxes, but later said he regretted it. Does Greenspan remember that President Reagan, too, raised taxes, and also later said he regretted doing so?
The libertarian Republican's praise of President Clinton seems philosophically inconsistent on another level. Has Greenspan forgotten about Clinton's attempt at a government takeover of health care, one-seventh of the nation's economy? Republicans stopped him. Does Greenspan remember Clinton's attempt to push through a multibillion-dollar "economic stimulus plan"? Republicans stopped him. Even Bill Clinton, in giving a speech before some wealthy donors in Houston, said that he "raised your taxes too much." (After criticism, Clinton later said he regretted saying that he regretted raising taxes.)
So here's the drill.
Traditional media rush to use Greenspan to batter Bush. Then they downplay Greenspan's essential charge -- that government spends too much. They top it off by showing a complete lack of curiosity as to how a self-described "libertarian Republican" can simultaneously support the Bill Clinton tax hikes and the George W. Bush tax cuts.
Confused? The solution is simply not to delve too deeply. That's why we have headlines. |