What’s the best way to help a man when he’s down? Kick him? That’s what some folks in Washington seem to be saying. They say that with the economy weakening a bit lately, Bush made a big mistake giving us a few of our own bucks back. They say the only way for the government to put its financial affairs in order is to grab even more of our hard-earned money. Kick us when we’re down.
But making it harder for productive citizens to pay the bills doesn’t help the economy. After all, working folks are what make the economy. If Washington really wants to help us, why not start by taking their hands out of our pockets?
Listen to David Williams of Citizens Against Government Waste. According to Williams, “It’s the spending, stupid!” There’s plenty of bloat in our multi-trillion dollar federal budget that could easily be slashed and hacked, if only our so-called leaders put their minds to it.
As the Cato Institute notes, corporate welfare alone adds up to some $87 billion in the current federal budget. All it would take to get rid of that and all the pork and all the other dubious spending is a little common sense, a lot of political willpower, and a big pair of scissors.
One of the few congressmen who gets it is Ron Paul of Texas. “There is a lot of room in a two or three trillion dollar budget to cut spending,” Paul points out. “That’s what’s best for the economy, to cut spending and taxes at the same time.”
What? Cut them both? At the same time? Now that’s a kick!
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.