Many of our Representatives claim they are fiscal conservatives. Being a fiscal conservative requires making a sound national budget and raising the revenue to fund our nation’s needs. The logical approach to paying off our national debt is to find a middle ground between raising taxes and cutting spending. The tax rates, particularly those at the top of the earnings scale, need to be adjusted upward, and there is also a grave need for spending restraint, elimination of duplicate efforts, and elimination of waste and wasteful projects driven by special-interest groups on both sides of the aisle. Since few Congressmen are willing to vote to cut pet projects, and perhaps lose their own, it leaves us with one alternative: ” Just raise taxes”.
As history shows, cutting taxes does not necessarily lead to greater economic growth, but it certainly means a large increase in our National Debt. The high tax rates and increasing national debt under the Eisenhower administration were mostly to pay off our war debts and rebuild Europe, yet there was also growth in GDP and jobs. Reagan dramatically cut taxes, and we experienced job growth, but lower GDP growth, and a huge increase in our peacetime National Debt. Over Reagan’s term, the National Debt grew by 94%! He had help doing that.
The House of Representatives is responsible for preparing our budget. Yet, Grover Norquist claims that 235 US Representatives and 41 US Senators have signed his Pledge. In doing so, they have clearly given up their responsibility as our elected representatives. Those in the US Legislature who have signed the pledge are listed here. You may wish to check to see who from your state has signed the pledge and contact them. Since Norquist claims that signing the pledge is binding unto perpetuity, I would suggest that we make sure none of those who signed his pledge are re-elected.
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