{"id":1130508,"date":"2019-07-23T11:17:51","date_gmt":"2019-07-23T16:17:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dailyreckoning.com\/?p=107798"},"modified":"2019-07-23T11:17:51","modified_gmt":"2019-07-23T16:17:51","slug":"rip-fiscal-responsibility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/juniorminingnews.com\/?p=1130508","title":{"rendered":"RIP: Fiscal Responsibility"},"content":{"rendered":"

This post RIP: Fiscal Responsibility<\/a> appeared first on Daily Reckoning<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Republicans and Democrats have stowed their axes, sunk their differences\u2026 and agreed to raise the debt ceiling.<\/p>\n

The government will remain in funds for the next two years \u2014 beyond the 2020 election, not coincidentally.<\/p>\n

The Wall Street Journal <\/em>reads the truce terms:<\/p>\n

\n

Congressional and White House negotiators reached a deal to increase federal spending and raise the government\u2019s borrowing limit, securing a bipartisan compromise to avoid a looming fiscal crisis and pushing the next budget debate past the 2020 election.<\/em><\/p>\n

The deal for more than $2.7 trillion in spending over two years… would suspend the debt ceiling until the end of July 2021. It also raises spending by nearly $50 billion next fiscal year above current levels.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Failing a deal, the Capitol lights would have winked out Oct. 1. And the federal government would have slammed its door on the noses of the American people.<\/p>\n

Chaos and Old Night would have descended upon these shores…<\/p>\n

A Rain of Horrors<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The ranger at Glacier National Park would have been thrown into idleness\u2026<\/p>\n

The Federal Theatre Project would have been thrown into darkness…<\/p>\n

And the bright-eyed sixth-grader from Duluth would have been thrown from the Smithsonian.<\/p>\n

The last government shutdown (December 2018\u2013January 2019), stretched 35 impossible days.<\/p>\n

How we endured those black, unlit times\u2026 we cannot recall.<\/p>\n

Yet our representatives at Washington have spared the grateful nation a sequel.<\/p>\n

Absent a deal…<\/p>\n

They would have been required to hatchet spending $120 billion flat, all around.<\/p>\n

The arrangement instead raises spending caps some $50 billion this year… and another $54 billion the next.<\/p>\n

Both Sides Claim Victory<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The president declared the deal \u201ca real compromise in order to give another big victory to our Great Military and Vets!\u201d<\/p>\n

With straight faces Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer announced:<\/p>\n

\n

With this agreement, we strive to avoid another government shutdown, which is so harmful to meeting the needs of the American people and honoring the work of our public employees.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy gushed the agreement will \u201cstave off economic catastrophe.\u201d<\/p>\n

It will furthermore reverse \u201cunsustainable cuts in nondefense discretionary spending.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just so.<\/p>\n

The Real Meaning of Bipartisanship<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The late Joe Sobran labeled Democrats \u201cthe evil party.\u201d Republicans were \u201cthe stupid party.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thus he concluded that \u201cbipartisanship\u201d yields outcomes both evil and stupid.<\/p>\n

Perhaps Sobran hooked into something…<\/p>\n

Under the deal Republicans get their guns. Democrats get their butter.<\/p>\n

And the taxpayer gets the bill.<\/p>\n

He pays now through higher taxes \u2014 or later through higher interest payments on the debt.<\/p>\n

But pay he will.<\/p>\n

And so fiscal responsibility lies dead beyond all hope of recall.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n

We expect Democrats to spent grandly and gorgeously.<\/p>\n

Since FDR it has read the identical electoral blueprint.<\/p>\n

But Republicans traditionally existed for two purposes: to lower taxes \u2014 and to square the books.<\/p>\n

You wished to spend money you did not have? And throw open the Treasury to the public?<\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d was the answer you could expect.<\/p>\n

Like a sour old schoolmarm with steel in her eye and a rattan in her hand\u2026 they might not have been popular.<\/p>\n

But you knew where they were. And you could trust them with the checkbook.<\/p>\n

But these Republicans are no more.<\/p>\n

They have gone the route of fedoras, monocles and spats.<\/p>\n

What Happened to the Old-time Religion?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

They turned away from their old-time fiscal religion, made their peace with Big Government\u2026 and got elected.<\/p>\n

They labelled the old religion \u201croot canal economics.\u201d<\/p>\n

Republicans instead sat at the feet of Mr. Arthur Laffer, with his famous curve.<\/p>\n

They could spend like Democrats without touching the taxpayer.<\/p>\n

Deficits do not matter in the new catechism.<\/p>\n

Only a few Republican holdouts remain… to keep the tablets.<\/p>\n

Reports the Journal:<\/p>\n

\n

Fiscal hawks panned reports of the proposed deal Monday before many of the details had been released, warning it could add trillions of dollars more to projected government debt levels over the next decade.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

But they sob in vain\u2026<\/p>\n

Drowning in Debt<\/strong><\/h2>\n

United States public debt excels $22.4 trillion\u2026 and swells by the day, by the month, by the year.<\/p>\n

Federal debt presently rises three times the rate of revenue coming in.<\/p>\n

To simply maintain current debt levels, CBO estimates Congress would have to increase revenues 11% each year\u2026 while simultaneously hatcheting the budget 10%.<\/p>\n

Will Congress spend 10% less each year?<\/p>\n

We have just received our answer.<\/p>\n

For the long-term consequences we turn to the Brookings Institute:<\/p>\n

\n

Sustained federal deficits and rising federal debt, used to finance consumption or transfer payments, will crowd out future investment; reduce prospects for economic growth; make it more difficult to conduct routine policy, address major new priorities, or deal with the next recession or emergencies; and impose substantial burdens on future generations.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Deficits to the Horizon<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Meantime, the present economic expansion is officially the longest on record.<\/p>\n

Can the economy peg along another decade without a recession? Or even half so long?<\/p>\n

We already detect smoke rising from the engine, and oil leaking out below.<\/p>\n

Trillion-dollar deficits are already in sight.<\/p>\n

In the certain event of recession, authorities will flood the economy with money borrowed from the future \u2014 deficit spending.<\/p>\n

Deficits could double\u2026 or possibly triple.<\/p>\n

What a Surprise<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The only surprise about this debt ceiling deal?<\/p>\n

That anyone could be surprised by this debt ceiling deal.<\/p>\n

Republicans and Democrats might stage a splendid combat for the crowd. They batten upon each other with savage and vicious blows.<\/p>\n

Mr. Trump\u2019s gladiatorial presence makes the show grand beyond comparison.<\/p>\n

But watch closer\u2026<\/p>\n

The combatants do not strike at the vitals. And the blood is fake.<\/p>\n

When it comes to borrowing and spending\u2026 Republicans and Democrats are as united as any lovers could hope to be.<\/p>\n

Threaten to cut them off.<\/p>\n

Then watch the warfare immediately halt\u2026 and the hands of peace come extending from both sides.<\/p>\n

This we have just witnessed. The debt ceiling is raised.<\/p>\n

And so today we drop a mournful tear on the ashes of fiscal responsibility.<\/p>\n

As we have noted before, Republicans once defended the approaches to the United States Treasury.<\/p>\n

But they have since sold the pass.<\/p>\n

And both parties have sold us all down a river\u2026<\/p>\n

Regards,<\/p>\n

Brian Maher
\nManaging editor, The Daily Reckoning<\/em><\/p>\n

The post RIP: Fiscal Responsibility<\/a> appeared first on Daily Reckoning<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This post RIP: Fiscal Responsibility<\/a> appeared first on Daily Reckoning<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The government raises the debt ceiling through 2021… Republicans fully abandon the old fiscal religion… The only surprise about the debt ceiling deal…<\/p>\n

The post RIP: Fiscal Responsibility<\/a> appeared first on Daily Reckoning<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[817,366,1751,3094,3095,463],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/juniorminingnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1130508"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/juniorminingnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/juniorminingnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/juniorminingnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/juniorminingnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1130508"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/juniorminingnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1130508\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1131407,"href":"https:\/\/juniorminingnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1130508\/revisions\/1131407"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/juniorminingnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1130508"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/juniorminingnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1130508"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/juniorminingnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1130508"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}