>Granted, Paul Krugman is a liberal. (Also a Nobel Prize winner in economics). He's still got a point.
>
>http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/22/opinion/22krugman.html?em
>
>Why are Republicans reluctant to sit down and talk? Because they would then be forced to put up or shut up. Since they’re adamantly opposed to reducing the deficit with tax increases, they would have to explain what spending they want to cut. And guess what? After three decades of preparing the ground for this moment, they’re still not willing to do that.

More blue tortillas for the masses from Krugman. Allow me to counter. ;)

Why are Democrats reluctant to sit down and talk? Because they would then be forced to put up or shut up. Since they’re adamantly opposed to reducing the deficit with spending cuts, they would have to explain how high they want to raise taxes. And guess what? After three decades of preparing the ground for this moment, they’re still not willing to do that.

Over the past couple decades we've seen both parties in complete control of the levers of power and bigger deficits have ensued. Only divided government has managed to lower the deficit through cutting both taxes and spending. Contrary to enlightened economic "minds" like Krugman the Laffer curve exists.