Howard Dean:

[ProSense]

O`DONNELL: Governor Dean, through a different approach, you have ended up in basic agreement with "The Wall Street Journal" at this point. They are saying in their approach, just go off the cliff. That is better than anything Boehner is proposing.

DEAN: Yes.

O`DONNELL: And it`s better that anything you`re going to get in the compromise.

DEAN: Well, here`s -- and I rarely agree with anything on the opinion pages of "The Wall Street Journal." But here`s where -- I`m a deficit hawk. And the reason I`m a deficit hawk is, as a progressive, I know that social programs can only be sustained in the long term if you have a balanced budget, which is what Bill Clinton and his folks did.

So if you really want to be serious about this, you got to attack the deficit. This is the fairest way to attack the deficit of any system I have seen in terms of taxes, in terms of cuts evenly spread. There are some bad cuts in there I don`t like as a progressive in human services.

But everybody is going to have some sacrifice. And I think going over the fiscal cliff is the fairest sacrifice. It`s also coincidentally going to take the biggest bite out of the deficit, which Wall Street should like.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/50260060/ns/msnbc/

Think austerity is coming only from Third Way?

Dean's position isn't the same, but it still boils down to this: shared sacrifice.

This statement needs to be retired
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022029399

[AndyA]

1. The problem with shared sacrifice is some have already been sacrificing, while others haven't.

So, to expect those who have been giving up necessities for years to continue to sacrifice a bit more, while those who won't be hurt at all start share equally is bull.

It's not sharing when some are impacted greatly and others aren't impacted at all.

The wealthy have seen their wealth grow incredibly, while most of America has been suffering. The wealthy need to kick in and pull their fair share for a change.

I normally agree with Howard Dean, but I don't agree with the "equally spread" statement. It would be one thing if things had been equal all along, but they have not.

[fried eggs]

2. Dean has always been a centrist

But I agree: A millionaire giving up tax cuts is not equivalent to a poor person getting less benefits. There's no comparison.

[sadbear]

3. Deducing the deficit should start with slashing the Pentagon budget.

Is going over the 'fiscal cliff' the only way this happens? Probably.