David is right about the ten-to-one ratio between spending cuts and taxes. And Kevin’s “Chalk one up for the crazies” line is unworthy of him. But, in his discussion of “extreme hypotheticals,” it’s important to remember that almost all the spending “cuts” and even the formulae on which they’re calculated are extremely hypothetical to the point that they will never happen, while the taxes are real. I would take a ten-to-one cuts/taxes ratio for FY 2012. When that’s your plan, get back to me.
PS If you’re in the general vicinity of Manchester, New Hampshire, tomorrow night at 6pm I’ll be talking about debt, decay, doom — the good ol’ S&P triple-D rating — live at St. Anselm’s College, latterly the scene of the presidential candidates’ debate. If CNN’s John King is still lurking and has one of his ”Boxers or briefs?” quickie questions left over from his lame-o format, I’m happy to answer that. But there’ll be plenty of red meat, too. If you’re in Maine, northern Massachusetts, eastern Vermont, Lac St-Jean, Quebec, or the Labrador interior, it’s a convenient 20-minute drive.