Republicans create budget deficits and hurt kids
The title really says it all. As the media begins to spew talk of the 2016 election cycle at us (ALREADY?!), let's review some recent examples of the differences in the parties when it comes to fiscal responsibility. If you think Republicans fix budgets, you're just plain wrong. If you think tax cuts spur economic growth you're also wrong. There's simply no evidence to support either point. I can, however, show 6 examples of Republicans cutting taxes where the result was a ruined budget AND zero economic growth, often where the state education system is ruined in the process.
Sam Brownback, Republican governor of Kansas: cut taxes, resulting in a $278 million budget shortfall, which he's going to address by not spending money on infrastructure, cutting education spending, and further depleting the state's already under-funded pension plan. He inherited a budget deficit of $60M, so he's increased that 400% in just four years; impressive! 71 of the state's 105 counties have had to raise property taxes to pay for things the state used to cover.
Bobby Jindal, Republican governor of Louisiana, inherited a $1 BILLION surplus from his predecessor, cut taxes 6 times, and now has a $1.6 BILLION deficit. The icing on the cake is that he's actually also made cuts to healthcare and education (Louisiana is known for its spectacular public schools ... oh, wait). Meanwhile, he subsidizes Duck Dynasty to the tune of $330,000 per episode with taxpayer dollars, and has paid Wal-Mart, yes Wal-@#$%^&$-Mart $700,000 from the state coffers to subsidize the construction of their stores in the state. I guess those numbers are pretty small when you compare them to the $1,600,000,000 deficit, but "come on, man?!"
George W. Bush inherited a $128B surplus from Clinton's last budget, and left Obama with a $1.4 TRILLION deficit. Three big reasons for this include: 2 rounds of tax cuts, 2 unfunded wars, and the passage of a Medicare prescription drug benefit without providing any funding mechanism for how to pay for it. That last part could effectively be re-named "the best thing that ever happened to big pharma, because it guarantees them access to old people who need lots of drugs, while simultaneously forbidding Uncle Sam from ever negotiating with them on pricing."
Scott Walker, Republican governor of Wisconsin cut taxes until he had a $1.8B deficit. He tried to cover it up by cutting... education spending.
Tom Corbett, Republican governor of Pennsylvania, cut $1.3B in taxes (corporate and income), now faces a $1B budget deficit, and ... decided to cut education spending.
During Chris Christie's tenure as New Jersey's Republican governor, their credit rating has been downgraded not once, but twice. He's proposed two massive tax cuts that have been thwarted by his legislature. He's trying again this year.
But by all means, let's vote GOP, because they're all about "fiscal responsibility."
Sam Brownback, Republican governor of Kansas: cut taxes, resulting in a $278 million budget shortfall, which he's going to address by not spending money on infrastructure, cutting education spending, and further depleting the state's already under-funded pension plan. He inherited a budget deficit of $60M, so he's increased that 400% in just four years; impressive! 71 of the state's 105 counties have had to raise property taxes to pay for things the state used to cover.
Bobby Jindal, Republican governor of Louisiana, inherited a $1 BILLION surplus from his predecessor, cut taxes 6 times, and now has a $1.6 BILLION deficit. The icing on the cake is that he's actually also made cuts to healthcare and education (Louisiana is known for its spectacular public schools ... oh, wait). Meanwhile, he subsidizes Duck Dynasty to the tune of $330,000 per episode with taxpayer dollars, and has paid Wal-Mart, yes Wal-@#$%^&$-Mart $700,000 from the state coffers to subsidize the construction of their stores in the state. I guess those numbers are pretty small when you compare them to the $1,600,000,000 deficit, but "come on, man?!"
George W. Bush inherited a $128B surplus from Clinton's last budget, and left Obama with a $1.4 TRILLION deficit. Three big reasons for this include: 2 rounds of tax cuts, 2 unfunded wars, and the passage of a Medicare prescription drug benefit without providing any funding mechanism for how to pay for it. That last part could effectively be re-named "the best thing that ever happened to big pharma, because it guarantees them access to old people who need lots of drugs, while simultaneously forbidding Uncle Sam from ever negotiating with them on pricing."
Scott Walker, Republican governor of Wisconsin cut taxes until he had a $1.8B deficit. He tried to cover it up by cutting... education spending.
Tom Corbett, Republican governor of Pennsylvania, cut $1.3B in taxes (corporate and income), now faces a $1B budget deficit, and ... decided to cut education spending.
During Chris Christie's tenure as New Jersey's Republican governor, their credit rating has been downgraded not once, but twice. He's proposed two massive tax cuts that have been thwarted by his legislature. He's trying again this year.
But by all means, let's vote GOP, because they're all about "fiscal responsibility."
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