Matt Yglesias leans toward the conclusion that conservative policy is more accident than conspiracy:
Mark Schmitt wrote a post almost two years ago called "Why is the President Determined to Destroy the Private Health Insurance System?" I thought it was a good question then, and it’s still a good question now. The dynamic Bush is trying to unleash with Health Savings Accounts almost certainly, I think, ends with the United States adopting a universal health care system after several years of misery induced by the GOP’s unmotivated replacement of the quasi-workable status quo with a totally unworkable system of HSAs.
I don’t think there’s a real plan here. Instead, there’s a lot of short-term thinking. Executives looking to maximize their short-term after tax income. Lobbyists looking to squeeze as much money out of the government as they can each and every budget cycle. Politicians trying to win the next election. Conservative activists convinced that no matter how bad the GOP gets, the Democrats are worse. And everybody thinking problems can just be deferred into the future or dealt with at some unspecified time.
And here, hours later, Congress rushes to the rescue, eager to prove his point:
The US House of Representatives passed a measure that would spare 15 million households from a $30 billion alternative minimum tax increase next year.
The 414-4 vote would renew a temporary law exempting the first $58,000 of a married couple’s income from the minimum tax. House Republicans scheduled the vote a day before acting on a $56.6 billion budget measure that extends the 15 percent rate on dividends and most capital gains.
Nice playbook: pass tax cuts on ten-year projections of surplus, then say "whoops, who knew this AMT was going to kick in? Let’s pass a one-year fix." We’re going to be witnessing this kabuki theater every year from here out, aren’t we?
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