These days, it’s a widely accepted mantra in the conservative movement that new taxes of any sort are out of the question, hardly worth even debating.<\/p>\n
This conviction even trumps concerns over the deficit.\u00a0 Republican leaders have made it clear that they don’t feel a need to pay for tax cuts through program reductions.<\/p>\n
During the Bush-Cheney era, it was explicit policy to cut taxes, despite a two-front war overseas and soaring deficits at home.<\/p>\n
Speaking last week in Glens Falls, Rep. Chris Gibson — elected last November as part of the big national GOP wave — spoke passionately in support of the Bush-era tax cuts<\/p>\n
But he also described as a success story another era of government in the late 90s, when a bipartisan budget plan briefly led to balanced budgets.<\/p>\n
“The reason why it’s famous, is because the president at the time [George H.W. Bush] said ‘Read my lips, no new taxes.’\u00a0 Politically it was the end for him,” Gibson acknowledged.<\/p>\n
It was the end for Bush because he flip-flopped and raised taxes, partnering on a spending plan developed with the Democratic congress.<\/p>\n
“[I]t is clear to me,” President Bush wrote at the time, “that both the size of the deficit problem and the need for a package that can be enacted require all of the following: entitlement and mandatory program reform, tax revenue increases, growth incentives, discretionary spending reductions, orderly reductions in defense expenditures, and budget process reform.”<\/p>\n
In his talk last week, Gibson acknowledged only part of that formula.<\/p>\n
“The agreement that came out of that actually curtailed spending to such a degree, and the Clinton Administration stayed on track with that, [that deficits were eliminated],” he argued.<\/p>\n
But as we wrestle with a budget deficit estimated for next year at $1.5 trillion, it will be interesting to see whether Republicans — following the lead of the first President Bush — put tax hikes back on the table.<\/p>\n
Such a move would be incredibly controversial, especially among tea party activists who helped to usher in Gibson’s new majority.<\/p>\n
Indeed, by citing the first President Bush’s approach to deficit cutting, and praising the Bush-Clinton era of budget compromise, the congressman is already flirting with the outer edge of modern conservative orthodoxy.<\/p>\n
To be clear, Gibson stopped well short of advocating for tax increases this time as part of the solution.<\/p>\n
He argued that boosting employment — through tax cuts and deregulation — was the first task for Republicans, as a step toward balancing the budget.<\/p>\n
But he also spoke again and again about the need for compromise with Democratic leaders in the Senate and the White House.<\/p>\n
And he offered unambiguous support for entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicaid.\u00a0\u00a0 It’s worth noting that Gibson is also a man who has spent his entire career in government, serving as an officer in the US Army.<\/p>\n
(He argued last week that the departments of Defense and Homeland Security should be targets for significant budget cuts.)<\/p>\n
As we pick ourselves up from the recession, and turn to tackle the deficit, it will be interesting to see what kind of leadership Rep. Gibson brings, to the North Country and his party.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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