Thomas Bushlack, Is There a Christian Response to the Debt Ceiling Debates? (via MoJ)

See this comment at MoJ:

However, I find this quote a little too cute:

"This principle...would remind us that the time to cut programs and spending is not during an economic downturn, but rather once the economy has rebounded enough to pick up the slack currently left by the high unemployment rate."

Maybe, but is this just a foregone conclusion concerning the common good? Fiscal responsibility, the courage to make difficult choices concerning entitlement programs etc... also ought to be factors in working for the common good.

I question whether this is just another example of someone, instead of being informed by what "common good" means, merely superimposing his own preconceived notions of reality upon the term.

Yes, what of the role of civic prudence, which must take into account whether such spending is sustainable? What are the potential negative consequences for continued deficit spending if such deficits can never be made up? There are many other questions as well -- what is being purchased with this money? Should it be the Federal Government's responsibility to do this? (Is it Constitutional?)