Since when do spending cuts equal job creation?

The political sphere has been so frustrating lately. The horrific midterm election brought into Congress waves of ultra-Conservative politicians with no real political strategy. Couple that with a never-ending recession, and it’s a political nightmare.

All they can talk about is “job creation” but all they can do is try and pass draconian spending cuts and abortion restrictions. I agree we need job creation and economic stimulus–when almost 10% of Americans are out of work, you bet we need more jobs.

But what does that have to do with spending cuts? Cuts on programs that improve the lives and health of Americans (saving money down the line) and, wait for it, EMPLOY PEOPLE. Lots of people. Mostly women, and many people of color too.

I may not be an economist, but can somebody explain to me how spending cuts and abortion restrictions magically create jobs?

Conservatives love to talk about how lowering taxes for the rich creates jobs via the “trickle down” theory. Do you really think that the richest 10% of our society, when faced with another lovely tax break, says hey, why don’t I go out and create a job today? That is not how business works, and that is not the kind of stimulus that is going to get 10% of people back to work.

I read a really interesting article in Inc Magazine a few months back which examines this idea that taxes hurt small businesses and job growth. Inc took this question to Norway, the country with the highest taxes in the world, to see the impact it had on entrepreneurship and small business. What they found is that despite the high taxes, or even because of them and the social safety net they create, entrepreneurship is alive and well in Norway.

I once heard someone say that Democrats are great at policy and terrible at politics. For Republicans, it’s the opposite. They are fantastic at spewing all sorts of rhetoric about the economy and bloated government, about job creation and main street, but when it comes to actual policy solutions to address these problems? Nada. Zip. Cuts cuts and more cuts, even ones that will definitely hurt their base and the economy.

If we’re going to get anywhere in 2012, the Democrats are going to have to step up to the plate and show exactly why we’re in the situation we’re in and who is to blame. We’ve got to push back on these illogical arguments about jobs and spending. We’re letting the Right win the war of words, and we’re having to pick up the pieces of a broken economy.

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