ThisIsCommonSense.org

We’re getting to know Senator Joe Lieberman a little better, now that Al Gore has chosen him to be his vice-​presidential running mate.

Lieberman is the first Jewish person to run for President or Vice President. But his religion is not what’s important to voters; instead many are impressed with his commitment to his religion. It’s refreshing to see someone not obsessed with politics to the exclusion of all else. Yet, I’m very troubled by a self-​centered decision Lieberman appears set to make.

You know that Senator Lieberman is running for Vice President. But did you know he’s also running for the U.S. Senate? Connecticut law allows him to run for both offices, but that doesn’t make it right. Does Lieberman think no one else in his entire state can do the job of a U.S. Senator? Not one of the over 3 million citizens of Connecticut?

And if he wins the vice-​presidency, the governor must either call a special election, which costs the taxpayers extra and promises lower turnout, or appoint someone to fill in for the next two years, thus denying the voters a choice. This has all the politicians scheming.

But Senator Lieberman can end all the political calculations by doing the right thing. Run for Vice President. Give it your all. Good luck. But step down and let an election be held fair and square for the Senate seat. It’s simple, Senator Lieberman: Give someone else a chance.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

I’ve worked with people in the Reform Party, good people who want to bring about much needed reform of our political system. That’s why it’s sad to watch the Party split in two, with shouting and shoving matches. I suspect that one catalyst of the crack-​up has been the free money that the federal government will bestow on the party’s presidential candidate.

Honey attracts bees and money attracts quite a few different species. The Federal Election Commission will now decide which one of the two sides of the Reform Party gets $12.6 million of our tax dollars as part of the federal matching funds program. But to me that raises the question: is the Reform Party choosing its presidential nominee or is the Federal Election Commission?

Whichever side is “chosen” by the FEC gets all the dough more money than will be raised by Ralph Nader, the Libertarian Party and all other third parties combined. Of course, the Republicans and Democrats get five times as much tax money, which is somehow “fair.” (By the way, hats off to both the Libertarian and Taxpayers Parties for refusing government funding.)

And here’s a perverse twist: The same FEC that allows Republicans and Democrats to break the debate rules and shut out the Reform candidate and other third party nominees, will now decide exactly who is the Reform Party candidate. Let’s even the playing field, but giving away free money isn’t the way. Some cures are worse than the disease.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

One of the reasons Americans are so fond of term limits is that once in office politicians change right before our eyes.

The longer a person stays in Congress, the more they vote for higher taxes and more spending. There’s logic there. The more you, as a congressman, think of taxes as money you get to spend, rather than just something you have to pay, the more apt you are to favor higher taxes.

Every tax dollar increases the political clout of politicians, meaning they can do more for or against various interests and thus ever more people come to them for special favors. Perhaps that’s why, according to a new study by the Cato Institute, the Republicans in control of Congress are increasing non-​defense federal spending at the fastest clip in 20 years.

Yes, many of those who campaigned to put the federal government on a diet are now voting to make it dramatically fatter. Congressmen who self-​impose term limits remain consistently for lower taxes and less government spending.

But those pursuing a political career, even when they start out as budget-​cutters, soon change. When you’re a career politician when, in effect, you become the government big government isn’t such a bad thing. Stephen Moore of the Cato Institute says, “The dirty little secret is that there are two big government parties in Washington.” Moore is right. The only political leaders consistently on the side of smaller government are those who live by term limits.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

The Republican National Convention in Philadelphia was billed as “inclusive.” But there was one issue that was excluded from the gala event and ever so quietly ripped out of the party’s platform: term limits.

It’s not that term limits aren’t popular. They are popular not only with grassroots Republicans, but with 3 of 4 Americans across every demographic group. No, the problem with term limits is that the GOP elite despises them.

Now comfortably in power, they plan to use incumbency to entrench themselves just like the Democrats they replaced. In 1994, Republicans won a House majority for the first time in 40 years by only seven seats. They did so by embracing term limits and winning reform-​minded independents as well as energizing their base. But the longtime politicians in Congress were never enthusiastic. As Rep. Mark Sanford points out, “Only when shown polling data … on the power of the issue did Republican congressional leaders reluctantly change their minds. The [polls] made clear not only that term limits pulled higher favorable numbers than any other issue in the Contract, but that including a term limit provision could make the difference in as many as 15 House races enough to put the GOP in control of the House for the first time in four decades.” When they won a majority in Congress it was thanks to term limits.

Can Republicans keep that majority with the slogan, “When in Washington do as the career politicians do”?

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

President Clinton says he’ll veto the tax cut Congress passed eliminating the marriage penalty. He says such a tax cut is not responsible, that the government can’t afford to lose that money. Sounds like the president is serious about fiscal responsibility, doesn’t it?

Actually, Clinton just wants to make a deal. The deal is this: Clinton will sign off on what he terms a “fiscally irresponsible” tax cut but only if Republicans will agree to Clinton’s new entitlement program on prescription drugs, which they believe is too expensive. In other words, it’s the usual Washington deal: I’ll agree to your reckless fiscal programs if you agree to mine.

Who will fight for a better deal for millions of average taxpayers? Rep. Mark Sanford will. He’s a citizen legislator who has pledged to term-​limit himself to six years in Congress. In his new book, The Trust Committed To Me , Mark says gridlock is preferable to the budget agreements of career politicians. “For thirty years lawmakers in Washington were willing to agree on pretty much any budget as long as they got out in time for evening cocktails.”

The result? It takes every single individual tax return filed west of the Mississippi just to pay the interest on the national debt. The career politicians spend money hand over fist to win votes today and let future generations worry about paying the bills tomorrow. Citizen legislators have no career plans that get in the way of doing what’s right. That’s a better deal.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

Antonio Feliciano was fired from his job at 7‑Eleven the other day. Was he showing up late? Watering down too many slurpees? Nope. Mr. Feliciano stopped a robbery attempt.

He may well have saved his own life and the lives of others in the store. 7‑Eleven officials say disarming the robber goes against company policy, which states clerks should just hand over the dough rather than risk their lives for the store.

7‑Eleven is worried about lawsuits, of course. When the woman who tried to rob the store pointed her gun at a cashier and cocked the trigger, Feliciano did not have time to pore through the 7‑Eleven company policy on whether to stand by and do nothing when your co-​worker is about to get blown away. Instead, he acted courageously. For his courage he has lost his job, thanks to 7‑Eleven’s idiotic “zero tolerance” policy.

Antonio did give the money that was demanded from him. He wasn’t risking his life for the store. But when the robber pointed the gun at Feliciano’s co-​worker and cocked the trigger, the thought that flashed in his mind was: “Oh God, I’m never going to see my kids again.” Acting on instinct, he grabbed the gun away from the robber and wrestled her to the ground. Good for you, Antonio Feliciano.

We are turning into a nation that worships victims and punishes heroes. When you think about it, maybe it’s the robber who’s really at fault here. 7‑Eleven, give Feliciano his job back. And give him a raise.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.