McCain's True Conservative Credentials

» TNR: TRB The Illusionist (Jon Chait)

A must-read on what is likely to be McCain's biggest line of difference between himself and Bush - spending. Chait explores McCain's likelihood of balancing the budget by cutting taxes by $300 billion, making the Bush tax cuts (which he voted against before he voted for), and eliminating earmarks.

One problem. McCain claims there's $100B to be cut in earmarks, but there's really only $18B. Oh, and McCain won't even cut that $18B ... even the spending on a bear DNA project that serves as his stump speech punchline. So if you thought the Reagan deficits were swell and the Bush deficits were awesome, the McCain deficits (hypothetical though they may be) ought to really make conservatives happy.