Glenn Beck's The Blaze outraged that deficit isn't 0.004 percent smaller

Written by Simon Maloy

Published

There aren't many reasons to take Glenn Beck's new website, The Blaze, very seriously. Indeed, that discussion could begin and end with the fact that it's a website started by Glenn Beck.

But Beck's staff of writers are doing their small part to make sure the website remains firmly disreputable, and Jonathon Seidl's article this afternoon helps to show both why The Blaze is ridiculous and how the conservative media are steadfastly unserious when it comes to matters of fiscal discipline.

Seidl's headline is: “As deficits soar, U.S. commits $50 million for 'clean-burning stoves.' ” The implication, of course, is that it's irresponsible for us to spend such an extravagant amount on stupid stoves while the deficit spirals out of control, and in his lead paragraph, Seidl points out that the current deficit is about $1.3 trillion*.

Do the math, and you'll see that $50 million is (rounded up) 0.004 percent of the deficit.

This is what The Blaze chooses to complain about.

And let's take a look at that opening paragraph, because it only compounds the stupidity:

The deficit is over $13 trillion [sic], and a fierce debate rages over extending Bush-era tax cuts. But despite domestic spending trouble, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton is expected today to announce a $50 million commitment to providing clean-burning stoves to Africa, Asia, and South America.

That's right, there is a fierce debate raging over the Bush tax cuts, because extending all of them -- including for the wealthiest Americans as conservatives want to do -- will increase the deficit by about $4 trillion over the next decade.

But to The Blaze, that's insignificant compared to the budget-busting 0.004 percent that stove money would save.

*Correction: I originally stated, as does Seidl's article, that the deficit is $13 trillion, which is wrong. It's actually estimated to be around $1.3 trillion, and the percentages in the article and the headline have been updated to reflect that.