Politics Over Public Good

Reading the New York Times today, I was again struck by a relatively conservative economist and, as it happens, Federal Reserve Chair, Ben Bernanke, who is quoted as asserting that deficit spending is the wisest course of action given our current economic conditions. The drumbeat for deficit spending is so strong right now from both the left and the right, I am increasingly forced to conclude that the Republican insistence on budget cuts has little to do with what is right economically and much more to do with what is in their interest politically.

Here's why. Deficit spending will most likely improve the economy. If it does, that will help the Democrats. And helping the Democrats is anathema to Republicans. So the Republican strategy becomes to oppose deficit spending, despite what leading economists recommend and despite what is best for the country.

I call that demagoguery. Deciding to do the wrong thing and making it sound like the right thing for no other reason than to gain political advantage. Doesn't seem to matter that it's bad for the country. If I'm right in my analysis, the Republicans have sunk to a new demagogic low.

For after all, isn't the point of all democratic engagement to advance the public good? This appears not to be the case for most members of the Republican Party.