We’re talking deficits and economic recovery, and the numbers involved. Whether or not anyone can “afford” the discussed tax levels is completely irrelevant.

$250K is five times the median household income. Five times.

And they can’t afford the crushing tax burden? You’re breaking my heart, citizen.

You know, if these corporals of industry were providing us with a thriving economy, I might be grudgingly persuaded in sending a bit more in the way of rewards their way. But while the rich get richer, the poor get poorer, the middle class asymptotically diminishes, and the stock market, corporate profits and executive salaries and bonuses rise while real worker income continues to decline, it is pretty clear the suits are simply not doing their job.

Management productivity has gone down while worker productivity continues to climb to new heights. It’s pretty clear the free market is not working as advertised. The guys who want the big tax cuts are just not working out.

Which “millionaire tax cut” would that be? The one Obama and the Democratic House and Senate extended because he said it would wreck the economy otherwise? Or a different one? Let’s do some numbers.

Maybe we can bring up Obama’s 2012 budget again, the one where he kills the tax cuts for those making $250,000 or more, gets rid of “loopholes” for oil companies and others, and reforms international tax laws. And where Obamacare takes full effect.

If there’s any “fiscal voodoo” going on it’s in the gaseous political rhetoric that hopes to God nobody actually does the math.

I have nothing against Sen Dirksen, in fact, I remember him well and I miss the old pirate, unlike the sleazeball gang of Vegas Houseboys that have inherited the GOP.

We’re just not buying your pious humbug, Tom, no matter how much you cloak it in fiscal voodoo. What’s happening is that the Republicans are willing to take the economy hostage just to extend a tax cut for millionaires. Sometimes the simple explanation is the true one. Occam’s razor, remember?

I thought the Dirksen film was quite significant. It’s over 40 years old, and nothing has really changed much since then. Well, his old “billion here, billion there” saying would have to be changed to “trillion.”

Has anyone noticed how recently the term “trillion” has become commonplace in our fiscal discussions?

Dirksen simply pointed out Democratic ideas about how government should be run. I pointed out some fiscal history. Jody pointed out that yes, there are differences in the ideologies, and they are simple and obvious.