Republicans need to have a growth agenda beyond spending cuts

Ryan Streeter

As we continue the heated public debate over spending cuts, three true statements should be in the heads of every congressional Republican:

• Cutting discretionary spending and reforming entitlements are essential to deficit reduction 
• Deficit reduction is essential to creating economic growth
• But deficit reduction is not sufficient in itself as an economic growth strategy

There's a case to be made that lawmakers cannot keep multiple big issues at play simultaneously in a constructive way, and so congressional Republicans should focus mainly on keeping up the drumbeat on spending cuts.

But that's a different issue than conflating spending cuts with economic growth.

Now, to be fair, no Republicans have conflated the two issues directly or plainly. But in the absence of a positive vision of jobs growth, that's the risk they take. Paul Ryan has recently written that spending cuts and fiscal discipline are essential to future prosperity and economic growth.

This is right, and it heeds to the first two bullets above. But it risks running afoul of the third without something else to say about the matter of growth and jobs. Uncertainty in the economy is indeed related to Washington's spending binge of late, but it's not the only thing creating timidity in our economy. There are a host of other tax and regulatory issues, for instance, that create  uncertainty as much or more than Washington's fiscal situation.

Our new poll of grassroots conservatives shows that voters also sense this distinction. A plurality of respondents think well of House Republicans' efforts on spending reductions, but 69% say they do not think Republicans in Washington are doing a good job explaining how they plan to spur economic growth and job creation.

A few more talking points right now among Republicans about the conditions of job growth - especially as it flows from tax and regulatory reform - would be wise. Voters are listening and paying attention, and I think congressional leaders would find they would be rewarded if they get clearer on this issue.