I think the writer is forcefully aware that it will be a struggle to address the nation's budget issue. She also appears to hold the government accountable for its actions.
I think she raises an interesting question here: Does the benefit to the economy of raising taxes outweigh the drawback of less money for businesses, which could be forced to shut down, or individuals, who might be unable to pay the mortgage or meet basic needs? Or the more realistic flip side: Will the benefit of cutting taxes (putting more money into the hands of individuals, or businesses, or certain individuals, or certain businesses) outweigh the drawback of reducing government spending, and therefore putting more people out of work or cutting their pay or reducing government purchases of goods and services from the private sector? - My friends and I were recently discussing this very subject. The writer is attempting to get her readers to think logically and really understand the futility of the situation at hand.
