PAtownhall.com
Pennsylvania's Marketplace of Ideas
Pennsylvania's Marketplace of Ideas
PAtownhall.com
Pennsylvania's Marketplace of Ideas
Pennsylvania's Marketplace of Ideas
by Chris Freind
What do President Bush, John McCain and Barack Obama have in common? They can all dance the Washington two-step with the best of them. All three talk the talk when it comes to reigning in wasteful government and getting the economy back on track, but to a tee, they don't walk the walk.
Their "solution" to our economic problems is to spend, spend, and spend some more in the hope of spending our way out of the crisis. So now we're on the third proposed economic stimulus package. The first was a one-time payment of a few hundred dollars to American families. The relief was so non-existent that our leaders proposed an even more asinine measure: a "gas-tax holiday" for the summer driving season. Too bad this one didn't pass Congress, because it would have saved us a staggering $3/week between Memorial Day and Labor Day. And that's a generous figure.
But don't despair. Now we have even more stimulus plans on the table, from Obama's $50 billion proposal to the White House's as-yet-undefined offering. Every one of these proposals are well-known gimmicks to the politicians, but are cruel jokes played out on the American people. They sound good, which is all that matters in Washington, but in reality, their only purpose is to provide false hope to citizens looking for a way out of the doom and gloom.
That's a disgrace.
If these people were truly serious about solving the economic malaise, they need to do reverse the stifling current policy. We have increasing become a feudal society, since the people knead the bread and bake it, but as soon as it comes out of the oven, the King (Congress) swoops in and takes it away. They then redistribute it back to the people in the form of small crumbs, and then tell us how "lucky" we should feel that we're getting anything at all. Pay no attention to the fact that the amounts are so small that they are irrelevant. The real issue is that this is yet another bad-aid solution to a gaping wound.
The only way to get the economy rolling again is to keep more money where it belongs in the first place--- in the people's pockets. There is no such thing as "government" money; it is simply our money being sent to Washington in the form of taxes. With one of the highest tax rates in the world, coupled with out-of-control spending, it's no wonder we're in a recession.
Congress must eliminate the loopholes allowing it to circumvent restrictions, such as "emergency" contingency spending. The government must start acting like families; when times get tight, the belt must be tightened. If a family suffers a financial emergency, such as a major car repair, what do they do? They don't go out to dinner and they don't go the movies. They save until they have discretionary income again, and don't live above their means. Congress must do the same.
We would experience an economic boom if the politicians would get serious about economic responsibility by renewing the Bush tax cuts, controlling the growth of spending to no more than inflation minus 1%, balancing budgets, and enacting a sensible energy policy that encourages more domestic production. These policies would pay mammoth dividends, renew true hope for Americans and ensure the nation's future economic health.
Without bold and aggressive leadership in Washington, it's going to be a very rocky road for the foreseeable future. Talk is cheap. It's time for our leaders to walk the walk.
Chris Freind can be reached at CF@TheBulletin.us
