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Dean: U.S. becoming Argentina (Concord NH Monitor, 7/8/2003)

On the president's economic policy, [Dean] compared America to Argentina and got laughs.

"I say Argentina and people laugh," Dean said. "When you have a Republican president who promises tax cuts and has middle class people pay for them, sooner or later we do get to be like Argentina. It isn't really that funny."

Bush, Dean said, is not a conservative, but a radical.

Borrow and spend, Dean said, is "exactly what happened in Argentina and the same kind of politics: Promise them everything."

This is a shrewd move by Dean. Fiscal conservatism is the one area he can get to Bush's right, and he's seizing the chance. Bush has let spending run wild, as Brother Choudhury pointed out. The Argentina analogy is not farfetched: if we let government spending grow faster than the economy, it's only a matter of time before the taxpayers are outnumbered by government dependents and politics becomes a competition to plunder the other guy first.

So far, Dean appears to be the only Democrat finding themes that get traction with the left and with moderates and conservatives. And while he is likely to lose, I'm beginning to think he'll get the nomination and put a little bit of pressure on George.

Posted by Paul Jaminet at July 8, 2003 6:48 PM