Nothing drives me over the edge than people like David Gregory spewing right-wing talking points to the giggling pleasure of Newt Gingrich. This weekend on Meet the Press David Gregory used the dumbed down rhetoric of labeling anyone supporting infrastructure investments as being pro-government spending. Democratic Governor Martin O'Malley gave a weak response as Gingrich, the other guest, chuckled happily.
Granted, it was two versus one. But O'Malley failed to state the case the way Democrats should.
There is a difference between government spending and government investments. Nobody is for throwing money at something without getting a return. But when the government invests in itself (i.e. a bridge or a school) our country gets something in return. We get jobs, greater efficiency and a strengthened middle class that can buy homes, send kids to college and have money to invest back in our economy.
But at its heart, Gregory and Gingrich are trying to promote a failed Reagan idea of top-down economics. They believe in few government investments, leaving local communities out to dry and relying solely on the stock market to create jobs. It's an approach that Bush tried for eight years and the Republicans in Congress have been successful at forcing down our throats. But if that top-down idea worked then how come our economy isn't just showered with jobs right now?