The Cost Of Repeal
So, the CBO says this bill lowers the deficit. And thus, says Ezra Klein, it’ll be tougher for the Republicans to repeal, should they win control of Congress:
And as a reader reminds me, people should also remember that “now that the reform bill is the law of the land, [repeal] would increase the budget deficit relative to current law, at least in the eyes of the CBO.” So if they weren’t going to find offsets, they’d also need to overrule pay-go.
Cue AHA! moment:
If spending needs to be accounted for within pay-go, then the doc-fix will require $200B of offsetting cuts!
…until I found out that the doc-fix was exempted from PAYGO rules.
Presumably if the Republicans regained control of Congress, they could similarly exempt certain things from PAYGO accounting.
But let’s just assume for a moment that they didn’t want to cut such — I’ve found an answer!
Based on the results of this study (h/t Megan McArdle), maybe they can just find offsetting cuts in our stupid policy of subsidizing corn and taxing sugar.
Nah, never mind, the Republicans know that won’t play in Iowa.
