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IMO, Governor Pawlenty is running a campaign that focuses on telling people what they want to hear (basically that Americans do need not sacrifice) and in trying to position himself as the boldest tax cutter of all. Almost certainly, his policies would greatly exacerbate the nation's fiscal challenges. His economic growth number is unrealistic. The last time the economy grew by 5% in a year (just a single year) was 1984. The 1960s and 1970s saw four such years in each decade. However, given the structure of today's economy, not to mention its enormous debt overhang (domestic non-financial debt), it is unrealistic to expect such growth, much less on the sustained basis that Governor Pawlenty projects. In sum, his appears to be a campaign that seeks to evade the difficult choices U.S. policy makers will have to make. Perhaps in a stroke of good fortune, his flat debate performance and oscillating remarks on health reform, have indicated that he probably won't be a credible contender.
Let's hope so. But for argument's sake, wouldn't Pawlenty's plan actually increase the deficit? The swift reduction in taxes would basically decimate revenue at the same time as massive cutting would lead to huge amounts of job losses, either direct or indirect resulting in automatic stabilizers kicking in. As unemployment increases, the already reduced tax rates would bring in even less income at the same time as deficit finances automatic stabilizers would drive the deficit higher. I can't help but think that all of these politicians and users who argue for rapid cuts to spending at the same time as rapid cuts to taxes would leave us in even more red ink.