The GOP's False Fiscal Narrative

Peter Beinart, The Daily BeastReading about the debt-reduction talks is painful. It's painful because in analyzing them, the media frequently fall back on storylines that just aren't true.Storyline No. 1: Republicans are desperate to balance America's books. This is, to be sure, what Republicans say. But is there any reason to take them at face value? During the Bush years, after all, the GOP was anything but desperate to put America's fiscal house in order. The Bush administration launched wars that increased the deficit, pushed tax cuts that increased the deficit, even pushed entitlement...

Amanda Swisten Amber Arbucci Amber Brkich