Vote for Moonbats Because We Don't Trust Democrats? (Updated)

Last night I was talking to a new acquaintance about politics and he said, as many I encounter do, that he's independent but doesn't trust the Democrats to be fiscally responsible.  Here in Massachusetts there are lots of "Bill Weld Republicans" as I call them- socially liberal, fiscally conservative people who cringe at the southern Republicans' fundamentalism but fear the liberals' tax policies.

So many of these people are unhappy with Obama because he's a Big Taxing Liberal.  Now I'm unhappy with Obama too, but he's not a Big Taxing Liberal.

So we start arguing about the budget, and this guy says that he's in favor of tax increases being part of the solution for balancing it.  Yet he still might vote for a Republican. 

So I have to ask: why?  At the debate a few nights ago in Iowa, a moderator asked for a show of hands from all the candidates- would you refuse a budget deal that was balanced 10-1 spending cuts to tax increases?  Every candidate raised a hand to indicate he/she would refuse such a deal.  So you have every candidate from the opposition party insisting on balancing the budget in a way that is completely impossible to accomplish.

Again, I'm not happy with Obama, and if he loses in 2012 he'll richly deserve it.  But at least he's not trying to repeal the laws of Mathematics in his campaign platform.  Anyone who calls himself a fiscal conservative has to vote Democrat.

UPDATE: A correspondent writes:

Keep in mind that the candidates who raised their hands are all trying to win a primary election, and that anyone not raising a hand will have a hard time reaching the general election. They might answer differently if they were trying to win the general election. Or is that too cynical?

Well, nothing is too cynical in Washington, but nevertheless I think we have to consider the promises made by politicians as having some force.  I think Mitt Romney, being a smart guy with an understanding of mathematics, realizes that balancing the budget without any tax hikes at all is impossible.  And as Massachusetts governor he showed himself to be open to different ideas and willing to do things like raise taxes when necessary. 

But if President Romney agrees to raise taxes in 2014, he will be primaried in 2016 by the True Believers in the GOP.  He must know that.  Above all Mitt Romney has shown that he will say and do whatever is necessary in order to be elected (and presumably re-elected) president.  Does he really believe in the Norquistian refusal to increase taxes?  Maybe not.  But will he have the political wiggle room to defy the anti-taxers?  Almost certainly not.

So when every Republican candidate raises his/her hand in the debate, I think we as voters have to take them at their word.  They're all fiscally irresponsible.  The deficit will continue to explode if they're president.  If you care most about lower taxes, by all means you should vote Republican.  If you care more about deficits, you have to vote Democrat.