Republican Hypocrisy: Economic Stimulus and Defense Cuts

Last updated on August 10th, 2014 at 05:45 pm

Read About Ivanka Trump's Plotting To Return To The White House On THE DAILY

New York Times columnist Paul Krugman called out congressional Republicans today for the hypocrisy of being against economic stimulus spending because it doesn’t create jobs, while opposing defense cuts because they will cost jobs. The question is how can one form of government spending not create jobs while another does?

Here is the video courtesy of Think Progress:

Krugman pointed out that some of the same GOP congressman who voted against the economic stimulus are decrying any cuts in the defense budget because it will cost their districts jobs, “What’s so wonderful is watching Republican congressmen saying, “But this will cost jobs!” The very same Republican congressmen who were denouncing the stimulus, saying government spending never creates jobs, but cutting defense spending costs jobs. It’s wonderful.”

It is about time that somebody brought up this ideological hypocrisy. If, as RNC Chairmen Michael Steele said, the government has never in the history of mankind created a job, then why are the congressional Republicans crying about the potential loss of jobs from any military cuts in their districts? They can’t have it both ways.

Either they admit that the government does create jobs, or if they are true fiscal conservatives, they should let Gates cut the fat from the defense budget. What is most troubling about the GOP’s hypocrisy is that they aren’t really fiscally conservative. The fight over increased spending isn’t about if the money should be spent, but where and how.

Members of Congress always decry government waste, but the waste never seems to be in their districts. The Republican Party is now going through the same ideological desert that the Democratic Party found itself in for 12 years from 1994-2006.

They have no credibility on fiscal conservatism, yet this is the card that they believe they are supposed to play. They want to be against government spending, yet they are just as willing as the Democrats to spend on the Defense and war budgets. No matter how hard the GOP tries, they can’t marry this inconsistency into a logical policy, and until they can, they will continue to lose elections.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association