The Debt Crisis: If Not Now, When? (Audio added)

I was on KRLD radio in Dallas earlier, debating Democratic strategist Glenn Smith on the debt ceiling debate. Smith at first characterized Republicans as terrorists holding Americans hostage over the debt debate. He backed down when I challenged his fidelity to the “new tone” we keep hearing so much about. Smith also acknowledged that we have to get the spending problem under control, but added that what the Republicans are doing in regards to the debt crisis now is “un-American.” So much for the new tone, again. That’s not debate, it’s just an insult. And if I had used that word about any Democrat, you could bet top dollar that the Democrat on the other side of the debate would have blown a gasket and accused me of “McCarthyism.”

It’s particularly rich for any Democrat to make that particular argument, when every single Democrat in the Senate in 2006 voted against raising the debt ceiling — and that includes the current president. Was their vote un-American? Why or why not, and please show your work.

What Smith would never do is say when the nation should get ahold of our spending problem. That to me is one of the most basic questions we should all be asking of our betters in Washington: If not now, when?

United government under the Republicans made the spending problem worse. United government under the Democrats made the spending problem even worse. Government is literally twice the size it was just 10 years ago. The deficit has tripled since Obama took office.

I’m not, by the way, arguing for divided government. I’m arguing for sane government. We don’t have that right now.

If we don’t begin to deal with this now, spending on interest alone begins to consume an unsustainable portion of the budget before long. Entitlement spending threatens to overwhelm the budget, thanks in no small part to Social Security’s too low retirement age. We need serious structural reform, and we needed it years ago, and putting it off longer will just make it hurt that much more.

If not now, then when?

Update: KRLD host Scott Braddock has posted audio of the debate. Click on the link to head over there for a listen.