How about getting both in-line? Republicans can always point to the fact that real spending cuts essentially never happen. There always seems to be a legislative make good that reduces or eliminates any real reduction in actual spending (NOT a reduction off of the spending trajectory!!!). Their fear is that a paper spending cut just won’t materialize while tax increases immediately (often ex post facto even!) take effect.

Somehow we need to find a path that encompasses real spending cuts so that necessary tax increases (on EVERYONE) are balanced and mitigated by corresponding spending cuts and are locked in.

The problem is that when tax increases are booked and revenues increase, the government somehow, someway finds a way to spend that money (guess where the SS “trust fund surplus” went?).

Set specific revenue and spending targets as a % of GDP and stay to those limitations on both sides of the ledger. You want to raise taxes that will increase revenues by 2% of GDP? Then you have to reduce spending by a corresponding 2% of GDP.

Invariable is not the same as inevitable, even in adverbial form.