Everything you need to know about the Pledge to America

Those "responsible spending cuts"? Not so much. The GOP has promised to kill the affordable Health Care act (increasing the deficit), keep the Bush Tax Giveaway to the Wealthy (increasing the deficit) and has not shown where cuts are going to come from.

In fact, John Boehner was interviewed by Chris Wallace about the Pledge and it's lack of specificity and he had the following to say:

WALLACE: Congressman Boehner, as Willie Sutton said about banks, entitlements are where the money is. More than 40% of the budget. Yet, I’ve looked through this pledge and there is not one single proposal to cut Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid.

BOEHNER: Chris, we make it clear in there that we’re going to lay out a plan to work toward a balanced budget and deal with the entitlement crisis. Chris, it’s time for us as americans to have an adult conversation with each other about the serious challenges our country faces. And we can’t have that serious conversation until we lay out the size of the problem. Once Americans understand how big the problem is, then we can begin to talk about potential solutions. [...]

WALLACE: Forgive me, sir, isn’t the right time to have the adult conversation now before the election when you have this document? Why not make a single proposal to cut social security, medicare and medicaid?

BOEHNER: Chris, this is what happens here in Washington. When you start down that path, you just invite all kind of problems. I know. I’ve been there. I think we need to do this in a more systemic way and have this conversation first. Let’s not get to the potential solutions. Let’s make sure Americans understand how big the problem is. Then we can talk about possible solutions and then work ourselves into those solutions that are doable.

SRSLY? Let's not talk about solutions. That's the gist. Typical Republican response: 'Let's not talk about solutions until after the election because we hope Americans are dumb/frustruated enough to elect us on vague and empty promises, so we can give more money to the wealthy and screw the economy (again) after the elections'. This is full of non-specific iconography that the GOP hopes Americans are stupid enough to buy.

Are we this stupid?

Here's an analysis of the differences between the Pledge and Obama's proposed budget.

American Progress

The substantial increase in deficits under the “Pledge to America” budget are due to the significant tax cuts that come from extending all expiring tax provisions and the implementation of several new tax cuts. Altogether, tax revenues under the “Pledge to America” plan would average 16.7 percent of GDP. During the last period the federal government ran balanced budgets revenues averaged 20 percent of GDP.

The document claims that these cuts will be offset by spending reductions, but their proposals for these reductions add up to significantly less than their revenue cuts. The vast bulk of these spending cuts are achieved through what are described as “hard caps,” but they provide little detail as to what programs would be cut.

The “Pledge to America” also includes a repeal of the Affordable Care Act. But since the ACA reduces deficits over the next 10 years, repealing it increases the deficit as well.

Chart via Ezra