It's the morality, stupid

Jonathan Chait does a good job of making the left argument for their version of 'deficit' reduction. But like most arguments for DefRed is really begs the question.

He assumes that we have a technical problem, that we have a 'deficit' and indeed we do. But I assert that first and foremost we have a moral problem and that failure to solve the moral problem will lead to constant repetition of the technical problem until like Europe is in the process of doing, we collapse.

The moral problem goes like this:
1. On 4 occasions (1935, 1965, 2002, and 2010) the Federal Government passed large scale entitlement programs that awarded money to today's voters at the expense of their children and grand children. (or in other words, the powerful in our nation appropriated the labor of the weak).

2. This is essentially taxation without representation and indeed, before the advent of 'social democracy' was unprecedented in the history of the world. No other society before in history has systematically looted their own children (indeed, before capitalist financial markets, they didn't have the tools to do so).

3. Resolution of this latest 'crisis' may or may not reduce the level of moral crime described in 2. But only temporarily. Sure as God made little green apples, the next time the left gets complete power (as in '35, '65, or '10) or the mushy middle tries to keep the left from power (as in '02) they will pass another looting of the children.

4. There is no evidence that the social democratic left has changed its views or if given this power again will not do the same thing. Indeed, it's only been a year since the last time they did it.

5. Therefore, 'saving' such a manifestly unjust and immoral system so in 20 years it can loot again is an act of supreme folly. Without fundamental reform that denies our leaders the right to loot our children it would be wrong, indeed immoral to bail out the existing crisis.

6. We must use the existing crisis to restore one of the most basic principles of morality: one does not steal from one's children. Then and only then should we consider handing any power or money to our squalid, corrupt Federal overlords. Of either party.

Break it up, break it all up.