In the article posted below mine about the Daily Show they mentioned how the president is struggling to keep firefighters, policemen, and teachers from being fired. Here in this article the Republican newly elected officials are vowing to do just that.
The article quoted many politicians saying that they will reduce state spending but "among them proposals to reduce public workers’ benefits in Wisconsin, scale back social services in Maine and sell off state liquor stores in Pennsylvania".
Although I will not argue that the states have huge deficits that need to be addressed and they need a new plan for their finances especially with the stimulus money drying up, but firing teachers, policemen, etc. is definitely not the way to go. Isn't the GOP worried about what the general public will think of them after they do that? Saying that we must simply "live with our means" is fulfilling the stereotype that republicans are rich white men who are not in tune with the problems of the general public.
On one hand, I see this strategy as a means of pulling us to recovery through an 'IMF' lens, in which countries are required to practice fiscal discipline. On the other hand, I see this strategy as completely opposed to recovery if I'm looking at it through a 'Keynesian' lens. Perspectives differ.
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