It occurs to me that one sentence of mine from the post below could be misconstrued. I wrote that Obama
should make his case for a mix that tends toward tax hikes and protecting entitlements. And then engage the GOP on the specifics.
I just want to make it clear that my preference would be for the balance to be toward cuts in entitlements rather than tax hikes. I was just indicating what I think would be Obama's priorities.
Given my druthers, I'd means-test Medicare and social security and cut defense much more deeply than seems faintly possible given the grip of what that great conservative president, Dwight Eisenhower, called the "military-industrial complex." I'd also bring an ax to the corporate welfare that makes a mockery of capitalism, and aim for a VAT to increase revenues. My belief is that Medicare is far too generous to prosperous boomer retirees, while the healthcare system is far too cruel to the working poor (which is one reason I support passing Obama's health insurance bill -= and improving it in the years ahead).