A confusing new argument I’m seeing from the right is that European austerity programs aren’t really austerity because some of the deficit reduction has come from tax increases. All that shows is that European politicians favor fiscal austerity, which is a mix of tax hikes and spending cuts—i.e., exactly what European countries have been implementing.
This is the defense of austerity by claiming it wasn’t enough austere enough. If it were just done by massive service cuts then it would have worked.
