Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Dividing Conservatives

The effect of the "trigger" in the new budget law may be to pit two major factions of conservatives against each other: neocons vs. anti-tax fanatics. Defense spending has already taken a small cut, and if the trigger goes into effect it will take a big one. But a deal to stay the trigger will probably require raising taxes. Can strong defense Republicans accept a tax increase to keep defense spending high? I am betting they cannot, because right now the anti-tax, anti-government wing of the GOP is ascendant. It will be interesting to see what the neocons propose.

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