Governor Haley Barbour was on Morning Joe a few days ago, talking about the deficit and Republican plans to reduce spending. The Governor, head of the Republican Governor’s Association, has been a major force in this political season, raising and spending millions on behalf of Republican candidates throughout the country. He did come up a wee bit short in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, but the RGA has become the de facto Republican National Committee, which Barbour used to head. His comments on the deficit were instructive, as he pledged to deeply reduce spending, but by golly could not say that a balanced budget would be forthcoming from Republicans anytime soon. I believe he said something like “when you are in this big of a hole it takes a while to get out”. Or “it can’t be done in one year”. Hmmmm. Sound familiar? What else? Well Haley says that the Republicans have a plan to cut spending. But he can’t say what spending will be cut. hmmm. Well lets see what Speaker Boehner produces in terms of real deficit reduction, per the Republican campaign promise. And let us see what programs will be cut, and what political consensus develops around those cuts.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640