Open thread for night owls: Busting conservative dogma on America's 'spending problem'

As part of the Campaign for America's Future's series on "Conservative Dogma v. The Facts," Bob Borosage writes, Ignorance Index V: The "Spending Problem":

Conservatives argue that America has a spending problem, not a revenue problem.  [...]

Yes, spending is up?to nearly 24% of gross domestic product.  But it is worth looking at where the spending comes from.  Conservatives are focused on cutting domestic discretionary spending?the spending for everything government does outside of the military, the guaranteed programs like Social Security and Meidcare and interest on the national debt.  But domestic programs haven?t  been the source of the increased spending. As this chart shows, despite the stimulus, domestic non-security spending is not driving the growth of spending. [...]

The Great Recession is the source of much of the increase, less from the stimulus than from the automatic social supports that expand when the economy declines ? unemployment insurance, food stamps, Medicaid,  and other supports.  These work to sustain families that have lost their jobs, while sustaining demand in the economy and limiting the downturn.  Thus federal spending will automatically decline if the economy recovers and people get good-paying jobs.

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At Daily Kos on this date in 2009:

CNN's Kitty Pilgrim delivers a thorough debunking of the birther conspiracy theory peddled by Alan Keyes and Orly Taitz. Undaunted, Keyes and Taitz take on Pilgrim along with John Avlon and Errol Louis.

As you watch, remember that Fox and Sean Hannity have aligned themselves with these clowns.

[Link to video].

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Source: http://feeds.dailykos.com/~r/dailykos/index/~3/i8wgB12XOFg/-Open-thread-for-night-owls:-Busting-conservative-dogma-on-Americas-spending-problem

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