Should the Bush tax cuts be allowed to expire?

[cthulu2016]

8. Yes, if the alternative is as described.

Despite your attempt to turn this into a simplistic loaded negative sound-byte, with "...So you're for increasing the deficit by continuing tax cuts for the rich?" the answer remains yes, if the choices are as I described them.

If I were in Congress and had before me a tax surcharge on the rich to be applied to the deficit, as opposed to new spending, I would vote against it out of necessity.

And so would anyone else who understands the first freaking thing about economics.

If I were a congressman, however, and there was a tax surcharge on the rich on the table I would fight very hard to have that surcharge devoted to some productive purpose. Infrastructure spending would be appropriate, for instance.

Reducing the deficit is not, in 2012, a productive purpose.

What benefit do you think there is in reducing the deficit in today's reality? You seem to assume a benefit. What is it?