Small minded people tend to shout louder and more extreme things as they begin to realize that the masses are properly ignoring them.
Such people want attention, even if they have to make up reasons for people to listen.
It's a very serious problem, but raising taxes will do absolutely nothing to solve it. I'm surprised that NRO would publish such garbage.
Clinton presided over the largest tax increase in history, and he also presided over the largest increase in the current account deficit, most of which occurred during his watch.
Ronald Reagan fixed the Carter deficits with a huge tax cut, although the pop in the current account deficit didn't disappear until halfway through George HW Bush's term in office.
Bartlett is smart. He's saying that spending cuts are the best solution, but he knows that's not going to happen easily with a "no veto" president who has the worst government growth addiction since LBJ. Tax increases can work to solve this problem. They aren't desirable at all, but then he's a policy realist, and maybe he's trying to get someone's attention.
Small minded people tend to shout louder and more extreme things as they begin to realize that the masses are properly ignoring them.
Such people want attention, even if they have to make up reasons for people to listen.