O’Connor bashes Balderson for backing US tax cuts

THE AD: “We Pay,” a 30-second television commercial bought by Democrat Danny O’Connor’s congressional campaign. O’Connor is challenging Republican Rep. Troy Balderson of Zanesville for Ohio’s 12th District seat.

WHERE TO SEE IT: Columbus and Zanesville broadcast, cable district-wide.

VIDEO: An image of Balderson talking on his cellphone in what appears to be an airport, Balderson talking in a conference room, images of taxpayers, a debt clock, a retiree sitting at a computer, and more footage of Balderson. The ad concludes with an image of O’Connor. SCRIPT: Announcer: “When big corporations call, Troy Balderson answers. He backs their huge tax giveaway that led to record profits. And they’ve returned the favor, pouring big money into his campaign. Now the bill is due, and you’re going to pay for it. A $2 trillion increase in the debt left to future generations and deep cuts to Social Security and Medicare benefits. Troy Balderson — when he does what they say, we pay.”

O’Connor: “I’m Danny O’Connor, and I approve this message.”

Analysis: Since Troy Balderson was sworn in as Ohio’s newest member of Congress on Sept. 5, he has cast 30 votes, so it feels a little soon to say he’s acting as a man beholden.

But the ad also draws a proverbial line in the sand: By attacking Balderson for supporting the tax bill that passed Congress last year, O’Connor is basically saying that he opposes it. That plan includes both corporate and middle-class tax cuts, which President Donald Trump and other Republicans tout for sparking the current economic boom. However, the Congressional Budget Office projects that $1.9 trillion in additional debt will be incurred in the decade through 2028 as a result of the cuts.

Beyond that, it is not a given that the additional debt will be offset by cuts to Medicare and Social Security, although Balderson has indicated a willingness to consider raising the eligibility age for both benefits. Balderson has indicated he would not have backed a massive spending bill that passed Congress last year, a sign that he favors cuts to discretionary spending to offset the debt. Cutting discretionary spending, however, would not eliminate the debt — it would only potentially reduce it.

The most likely scenario? Balderson — or O’Connor, if elected — does what has been done by both Republicans and Democrats for decades: Just ignore the debt altogether. Neither party has demonstrated a willingness to handle the two largest contributors to that debt: taxes and entitlements. But both are willing to trot out the issue every two years when an election approaches.