Remember that recovery summer we were supposed to be enjoying…last year? Well, with news of an impending double-dip recession, more Americans than ever, a whopping 89% to be exact, have a negative view of the economy.
Enter Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty.
The Republican presidential candidate came to President Barack Obama’s backyard and delivered his first major policy speech at the University of Chicago. Pawlenty came out swinging, leveling charges that the Obama administration is playing class warfare and killing job growth with over-regulation. His plan, titled “A Better Deal”, focuses on a combination of tax reforms and spending caps to boost economic growth.
Some highlights from the Pawlenty plan include:
-Cutting the corporate tax rate from 35% to 15%
-Replacing the individual tax system with two brackets to create a flatter and fairer tax structure
-Passing a balanced budget amendment that would cap spending at 18% of GDP
-Ratifying free trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama
the implementation of these modest/common sense free-market principles would definitely be a step in the right direction
the curious part, though, is to note how far america has deviated from the essence of free market capitalism when it’s most simple and proven concepts are portrayed as piecemeal remedies rather than constants
The proposals themselves are good and commonsensical, but “A Better Deal?” How… anemic. “Square Deal,” “New Deal,” and “Fair Deal,” sounded strong, but something that’s just “better” than what we have? That’s not a high hurdle to clear.
Tim needs some better political marketing types on his staff.
At this rate TPaw, my ex-guv, will make of himself a tempting VP pick for a conservative-if he can win a state or two.