Deficit hawks still want their Bush Tax Cuts

The common refrain from the right on government spending is that the Obama administration is bankrupting the country through expensive social programs and fiscal naivete.

But now that the mammoth Bush tax cuts are set to expire - giving the rich a run for their money - frightened Republicans are sounding the alarm bells and clinging to their precious stacks of ducats

Appearing on 'Meet the Press' Sunday, Republican House Leader John Boehner gave his defense of extending the tax cuts with the rationale that they were necessary to prevent a 'double dip' recession.

A valid point, maybe, but remember these are the same Republicans that fought tooth and well-manicured nail to keep much-needed assistance from reaching the unemployment with the argument that - get this - we couldn't afford to extend unemployment benefits.

Now, the Bush tax cuts that Republicans are defending can pay unemployment benefits from now to eternity, but there seems to be room on the Republican's budget for padding rich people's retirement accounts.

Our own congressman, fashioned as a fiscal conservative, will probably cave to an extension of these lavish cuts in what can only be described as callow constituent pandering.

You can be a deficit hawk if you'd like but there's that ghost hole of a boondoggle in Afghanistan and billions going to Pakistan instead of Peoria.

It's hard to justify letting the unemployed go homeless and hungry while warlords run the opium trade on Uncle Sam's dime.