ERD50
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
It seems there is confusion about the terms "savings" and "deficit reduction". ...
The deficit reduction estimate is strictly a question of whether revenue increases will more than offset spending increases. The CBO says they will.
I realize that my wording could have been better for this example. Let me try again, w/o the word 'savings' in there:
I explained it to DW this way: Yes, I'm going to take out $300 on our HLOC to buy some techno-gizmo for myself. But not to worry, I'm going to take $400 out of your paycheck and put it towards our HLOC. So you see, by me buying this techno-gizmo, we have actually reduced our deficit by $100! Aren't you proud of me for deciding to buy this techno-gizmo!
So the deficit reduction claim is a matter of increasing government revenue more than increasing government spending. Fine, but mostly that is a shifting of money from within the same pile.
I think the govt reps know that when they say 'deficit reduction' to the general public, that public hears 'savings'.
Now, if there are really other savings to the public outside of the govt arena, fine. But the CBO would not count those in the deficit reduction number, would they? It is the deficit reduction claim I'm focusing on for the moment. This thing is complex, we need to break it down a step at a time, unless the intent is to daze & confuse.
-ERD50