Ezra Klein has a really good interview with Chuck Schumer over at WonkBlog. Schumer is wrong about a lot of thing, of course; but he makes some excellent points. He is clearly a thoughtful guy. It’s too bad he is such a New Democrat. Still, his heart seems to be in the right place (in his chest as opposed to where a Republican keeps it: in a box under ground). And he’s right about a number of things.

Schumer’s main argument is that the Republicans are not being honest when they say that they want to change the tax code in a revenue neutral way. I’ve been long saying this. You just don’t start a discussion of the debt with: let’s make it worse!

He puts this into sharp relief by proposing how Democrats would act if they were similarly disingenuous:

Exactly! What’s more, I think most non-PhD economists ask a reasonable question, “If your marginal rate tax cuts will be revenue neutral, why are you doing it?” There is a reason for this, but I’ve never found it that compelling. The claim is that it will make the tax code fairer and thus increase growth. (This is an issue that involves the wealthy and the really wealthy—it has nothing to do with the middle classes.) But Schumer is certainly right when he speculates:

Even if this was a great idea—and I doubt this—a big problem is that if such a plan started with this idea, it would end with the lower tax rates with none of the deductions cut. Or at best, the deductions would be put back in the years going forward. The main thing is that Republicans only want to do this so they can cut taxes on the wealthy.

Ezra Klein makes an excellent point during the interview:

Which is the whole point! Republicans and, to a lesser but profound extent, Democrats only hear from the rich. Their campaigns are funded by the rich. People on food stamps don’t much matter. Especially when they can manipulated by TV commercials and, if all else fails, simply deprived of the right to vote.