Blogwatch: The Political Climate & America's...

With the presidential campaign intensifying, discussion about the nation’s finances is sporadic, with much of it embedded in stories about the presidential candidates’ opinions on an array of important issues like taxation, Social Security and Medicare.

On the “Roosh Five” blog, J. Roosh has plenty to say about our nation’s current fiscal situation.  He attributes many of America’s financial blunders – at both the state and national level – to a “national addiction to tax and spend policies.”  He says: 

“Our nation's financial resources can no longer be held hostage by liberal (or RINO) policies. It isn't a matter of right or wrong anymore, it's a simple matter of mathematics. We can no longer afford many of the policies, both domestic and foreign, that we have been pursuing to the detriment of our nation's future.” 

Whether you’re a liberal or a conservative, J. Roosh makes one point that’s hard to deny, as he delves deeply into the dire consequences of not dealing with America’s fiscal woes: 

“Our freedoms, our sovereignty, our national security and our very way of life will dramatically change in ways we can't imagine if we don't halt our fiscal irresponsibility as a country.” 

“The Carpetbagger Report” published an interesting story about its opinion on House Republicans.  While the story doesn’t center on the nation’s finances as a whole, the blog does shed some light on its opinion regarding the GOP and fiscal responsibility: 

“When it comes to the nation’s finances, Republicans in Washington have shown, shall we say, a certain lackadaisical attitude. Deficits, debts, expensive tax giveaways, lax regulations on the financial industry, Enron-omics — when it comes to looking after our money, GOP officials don’t exactly inspire confidence.” 

On our very own “Facing Up” blog, Scott Bittle covers a story every American should read regarding the federal budget and the 2008 presidential campaign.  While politicians make many promises, he points out the grim budgetary constraints that face the next American president.  Bittle pointedly explains that “…the budget realities facing the next president are going to hamper what can be done, no matter who wins.”  But the candidates aren’t openly confronting these fiscal realities: 

“And none of the candidates is really facing up to this -- or at least, they're not going to admit it. This is, after all, the promising season in politics, and nobody ever promises the voters a dose of grim financial reality.” 

On the Social Security front, check out this post on “My Retirement Blog” that sums up  each candidates’ take on the issue.  And while Social Security is in need of some serious help, at least the candidates are being realistic about it: 

“Luckily both party’s candidates recognize that Social Security, in its current form, needs to be revised to remain a solvent entity.” 

Over at “The Hill’s Congress Blog,” GOP Sen. Jim DeMint has plenty to say about earmarks.  He claims that the American people want to stop wasteful spending and blames the Democrats for much of the pork barrel spending we’ve seen in recent times: 

“Earmarks represent one of the worst ways to spend money. The earmark process allows politicians to fund pet projects based on political power instead of merit. Earmarks are rarely subject to public hearings or oversight, and they invite the kind of corruption that has sent lawmakers to jail.”