@Jaxk I’ve heard that mantra, but believe reality more than any political ideology. Neither tax increases nor decreases always increase revenue, thereby reducing the deficit. You’d get the same revenue from 100% taxes or 0%, that being zero revenue. Somewhere in between lies the sweet spot. Tax rates are at the lowest rate now they have been in 80 years and revenue as a percent of GDP is way down from what it was when the rates were higher, so we are below the sweet spot.
Same goes for spending. Spending either 100% or 0% of GDP is insane. Again, we need to find a sweet spot where we have the government we need. There are no fewer jobs supported when the federal government buys a fleet of 100 step vans than when UPS buys them. And the money for either comes from other people. Money isn’t magic. It really doesn’t know who is spending it and act differently when evil government is doing the spending.
@Judi I don’t think John McCain has ever met a military spending program or a possible war he didn’t love. The 2012 US Military budget is $711 Billion. As we wind down the Afghan conflict, there should be substantial savings available from that without compromising military readiness.