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Here's one of the leading contenders for the Presidential nominiation in 2012, and his solution to fixing our economy... keep those Bush tax cuts in place for the rich and pass a Constitutional amendment that forces the Federal government to balance the budget. You've just got to love these born again deficit hawks that don't think the rich should ever have their taxes raised and think we can control the deficit without it. Pawlenty does say there should be exceptions to those budget cuts but did not elaborate at any time during the interview as to what those should be. If I had to guess dropping bombs on poor people's heads and paying for more wars would be one of them.

Pawlenty elaborated on his views here in an op-ed he wrote -- Balanced budget amendment will do just that:

As we begin a new year and Congress reconvenes, an unpleasant reality is increasingly hitting home with ordinary Americans: Leaders in both parties have irresponsibly run up debt. And, since President Obama took office, the debt crisis has grown exponentially worse. The only way to solve the problem in the long run is with a Constitutional amendment. Read on...

Of course Pawlenty thinks that the stimulus plan has failed as well and we need to put a stop to that. More tax cuts!! Yeah, that's the ticket. We all know how well those that worked with stimulus 1 that Bush put through with tax cuts that didn't do an ounce of good. Of course that's not going to get in the way of Pawlenty and his talking points.

Rachel Maddow feels the same way I do after listening to this pitch by the administration. Jared Bernstein did not say one thing that swayed me that this is a good idea. Listen to Evan Bayh? You've got to be kidding me. A spending freeze in the middle of an economic downturn is insane. And of course there's no freeze for defense spending or Homeland Security.

TPM has more on the proposal--Obama Administration To Propose Freezing Non-Military Discretionary Spending:

President Obama will propose freezing non-security discretionary government spending for the next three years, a sweeping plan to attempt deficit reduction that will save taxpayers $250 billion over 10 years.

When the administration releases its budget next week, the discretionary spending for government agencies from Health and Human Services to the Department of Treasury will be frozen at its 2010 level in fiscal years 2011, 2012 and 2013.

A senior administration official detailed the move, speaking on a condition of anonymity because Obama will announce his decision during his State of the Union address Wednesday night.

The cuts would target "duplicative," "ineffective" and "inefficient" spending withing government, the official said on a conference call with reporters.

"This is not a blunt, across-the-board freeze," the official said, adding that some agencies will see spending increases while some will see spending cuts as the total remains constant.

Exempted from the freeze would be Pentagon funding, and the budgets for Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security.

"We do need to reflect the fact that we remain at war," the official said, noting the president was able to win several battles on cutting Pentagon spending.

The official declined to discuss specifics but said the new plan would save taxpayers $250 billion over 10 years. Read on...

UPDATE: Jared Bernstein posted this response on The White House Blog to last night's interview. Budget Freeze-eology 101: Hatchets vs. Scalpels

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John Boehner thinks America has forgotten about the last eight years if we're supposed to believe that he cares one iota about fiscal responsibility. On Face the Nation John Boehner continues to hammer on their disasterous request for a spending freeze.

Even David Brooks called this out for what it is, insanity.

CongressMatters has more here on another of Boehner's B.S. on the Republican having any plans for job creation: "Twice as Many Jobs at Half the Cost" - Mythbusting Republican Spin.

But, just for the record, they didn't really offer anything. And there is absolutely no credible data to support that claim a republican alternative would have created twice as many jobs at half the cost. Just like there was never $30 million for any Pelosi's mouse. Just like the stimulus bill doesn't have provisions designed to kill bible study programs.

It's a wonder Boehner, Cantor and the rest of the GOP leadership doesn't have whiplash from the constant spinning.