'That's The Kind Of Demagoguery You Hear From The Other Side...'

   Don't you love it when politicians call each other demagogues? Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) was on NPR's All Things Considered with Melissa Block yesterday, and took the opportunity to accuse "the other side"—meaning Democrats—of demagoguery. Check it out:

   BLOCK: When you hear House Speaker John Boehner say that tax hikes are off the table, I wonder how you interpret that because, evidently, they are discussing a number of ways that would increase revenue - including eliminating things like the tax breaks on hedge fund managers, corporate jet owners, closing loopholes like that. Would that be acceptable to you?
   Rep. PRICE: Well, in fact, our budget proposed decreasing the loopholes and closing many loopholes so that we broaden the base of taxation in this country and lower the rate. But please understand, the American people know that tax increases don't create a single job and that we're not in this boat right now because the Washington tax is too little. We're in this boat because Washington spends too much.
   So, the American people are not interested in having a tax increase. The American people understand that Washington spends way too much money and we need to get our fiscal house in order by decreasing the size, scope and reach of Washington, as well as decreasing the spending from the federal government.
   BLOCK: Is there a risk, though, when you speak of what the American people want that they will perceive, they will look at what's going on and say, Congress -Republicans in Congress - are fighting to protect the wealthiest among us, corporate jet owners and hedge fund managers, what about me? You are cutting my Medicare. You're cutting my Social Security.
   Rep. PRICE: Well, that's the kind of demagoguery that you hear from the other side, but I think the people are smarter than that.

   Price performs a very artful dance in just a few seconds between claiming that "tax increases don't create a single job ad we're not in this boat right now because Washington taxes too little" and then—when the host asks whether opposing tax hikes while favoring cuts in entitlements won't be perceived as favoring the wealthy—claiming that her question is "the kind of demagoguery that you hear from the other side."

   Now, there are different definitions of the word “demagogue.” dictionary.com leads with: “a person, especially an orator or political leader, who gains power and popularity by arousing the emotions, passions, and prejudices of the people,” and I guess that’s good enough for our purposes today.

   Rep. Price wants us to think it’s the Democrats who are “arousing the emotions, passions and prejudices of the people.” And, OK, I’ll admit that people do tend to get passionate when you talk about completely overhauling Medicare or cutting Social Security—which are precisely the policies Republicans are advocating.
   But what, exactly, should we call it when Rep. Price says  “The American people know that tax increases don’t create a single job and that we’re not in this boat right now because Washington taxes too little”?

   In fact, no one claimed that tax increases create jobs (although we know from the last 10 years that tax cuts don’t create jobs either). But beyond a doubt, the 2001 tax cuts were a major factor in the current budget deficit, which is the “boat” that Rep. Price is really talking about. He claims enough money can be saved by cutting spending in the departments of Interior and Commerce to allow the government to meet its other obligations, which even he must know is a laughable assertion.
   Demagoguery, Rep. Price, is blaming our problems on “Washington” and claiming to speak for "the American people" without acknowledging that the solutions you’re proposing are going to severely hurt the very people you’re trying to court.