A wise person once said, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Few places prove the truth of this proverb more than Washington D.C. As the budget battle continues over the next few weeks, and the Democrats decry the “draconian” cuts proposed by Republicans, it’s worth recalling that these guys really haven’t changed all that much. Democratic economic proposals have nothing to do with whether the economy is up, down, or flat—they are pure expressions of political ideology…one might actually call it “political religion.” No set of circumstances—not even +10% unemployment and $5 a gallon gasoline will convince the Left that their policies have not worked and that free market alternatives need to be embraced. Just consider this diary excerpt from twenty-eight years ago:
Met with House Republicans regarding the Democratic budget that came out of committee on a party line vote. Our guys were all gung ho and ready to do battle. The Democrats...know they can’t get their budget but [Speaker] Tip [O’Neill] said it was a moral statement of Democratic beliefs. I think they’ve handed us an issue. They would reduce or repeal everything we have done. They’d cut defense more than $100 billion over 5 years, but they’d increase social spending $181 billion and increase taxes $315 billion. On Monday, Commerce will announce G.N.P. growth for the 1st Quarter of 1983 as 4%--highest since the 1st Quarter of 1981. Our program is working…The upshot of realizing you’re dealing with fanatics is the realization that there will be no “compromise” unless it means you rolling over and giving them everything they want. Fanatics cannot be reasoned with…they have to be defeated.
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