The Republican Party is pretty much out of ideas.
Given control of all branches of the government, they could have initiated some truly bold policies. Except, they have no bold policies.
Instead, we got a massive tax cut bill, the promise of ANOTHER massive tax cut bill, plus more military spending. It's Reagan all over again, and SURPRISE! Massive deficits.
Now they are rolling out their dumbassed solution to the problem they created: a balanced budget amendment. As the article immediately makes clear, there is zero chance of a balanced budget amendment passing. Zero. Nor is Trump going to get his line item veto (also unconstitutional). These were ideas trotted out in the '90s after Republicans first abandoned their traditions of fiscal conservatism. Faced with the collapse of supply side theory in the face of...math...they came up with the gimmick of an amendment that would force massive spending cuts to further immiserate the poor.
The pattern is crystal clear: Massive tax cuts; massive deficits; hand wringing over how this possibly could have happened (hint: math); proposal to destroy the social safety net even more.
What I can't decide is which is more important to the GOP: giving rich people MORE money or giving poor people LESS money.
UPDATE: Jon Chait explores the rank hypocrisy of conservative "intellectuals."
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