The editors at The Washington Post certainly know how to frame skew a discussion in their favor. Today, they’re trying to make a case against the Senate essentially ignoring one of its rules to get tax cuts extended. That would be a fine argument, and worth pointing out if only to further build the case of Congressional hypocrisy. But that’s not the setup the editors use. Consider:
MUCH TO THE chagrin of the White House and the GOP leadership, lawmakers didn’t get a new round of tax cuts done in time for tax day today. But when Congress comes back from its recess, it’s expected to take up a deal to extend President Bush’s capital gains and dividend tax cuts. To make their budget-busting tax policy appear less costly than it is, the lawmakers are resorting to a gimmick that is even more egregious than their usual tactics.
If they want to use the size of the deficit as the justification for their position, they should anticipate, and understand how poorly it reflects on them, the simple counter-argument that reducing spending is just as effective at deficit reduction. It’s certainly more appropriate. Instead we get terms like “budget-busting”. What’s more budget-busting, bringing in too few dollars or sending out too many dollars? One thing is easier to control than the other. I know which one it is. It’s a shame the Post’s editors don’t, or at least won’t acknowledge it since it doesn’t fit a liberal vision of American government.
Via: To The People