Conservative economic policies just don't work and it's incredibly obvious right in front of our faces. Knowing that obvious things are right in front of our faces and knowing that conservatives really, really don't want us to see those things, it's instructive (and sometimes entertaining except for the tragic consequences) to watch how conservatives try to distract us.
For example, look at this chart:
The stimulus worked but was not enough. It is obvious. It is right in front of our faces.
So what do they do to distract us? LOOK OVER THERE!!! A MOSQUE!!! BURN A KORAN!!!
Next up, tax cuts. President Clinton raised taxes on the rich and conservatives claimed it would destroy the economy. But after the tax increases the economy was great, millions of jobs were created and the huge Reagan/Bush I budget deficits (caused by tax cuts and military spending increases) turned into surpluses. Here are some charts that show deficits and jobs following Clinton's tax increases. First compare job growth after Clinton's tax increases and Bush's tax cuts:
It's obvious. Right in front of our faces. Tax increases did not slow the economy or cost jobs, and tax cuts did not create jobs. This next chart shows how the budget went from deficit to surplus after Clinton's tax increases and then, after 'W's tax cuts, to massive, huge, incredible deficits:
It's obvious, right in front of our faces. So how do they distract from that? Well, they just lie!
Conservatives explain the huge 2009 $1.4 trillion Bush budget deficit by just saying it's Obama's. Have you heard that "Obama tripled the deficit"? Look at "Obama's Deficit in Pictures" from Heritage Foundation, claiming Obama has "quadrupled the deficit with his stimulus package".
The problem is that these distractions and deceptions can lead the public to support really bad policies. If conservatives -- after nearly destroying the world's economy the last time they had power -- are able to convince people that we should cut taxes again, or stop efforts to restore demand to the economy, then they could make things get even worse than they did last time.
Don't be distracted. Keep seeing the obvious.
SQUIRREL!!
This post originally appeared at Campaign for America's Future (CAF) at their Blog for OurFuture as part of the Making It In America project. I am a Fellow with CAF.