Raise Money by Cutting Government

On Sunday night, October 31, CBS 60 minutes reported, "David Stockman, Ronald Reagan's budget director who once preached tax cuts, is now in favor of putting a one-time surtax on the rich."

Mr. Stockman said more. He remarked "both the Democrats and the Republicans were lying to the American people regarding the need to lower taxes."

He said that it would be the worse thing to do at this time because of the trillion+ dollar debt. He listed Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, food stamps and other welfare programs that had to be taken care of.

At the same time, on the same program small businessmen in Newton, Iowa were interviewed, their story sympathetically reported. The story reported a truly devastating situation in a town (population 14,000) that had once been a busy and important supplier to other businesses. Now it is being destroyed by Obama's socialist policies.

Clearly Mr. Obama and Mr. Stockman have something in common. They both are in favor of "soaking the rich"---the one sphere where savings and investments could re-establish loans and free-markets. One has to wonder at this alliance. Both Obama and Stockman clearly believe that money can be magically generated in American pockets ad infinitum to pay for risky mortgage loans, irresponsible bailouts, propping up government agencies and failed business, such as AIG, another child of government intervention in the economy.

What neither mentions is that there is a very good way to raise money and not raise taxes. But no government official and/or employee---ex-or otherwise---ever mention the obvious.

Yes, things are in shambles---thanks to government intervention in our economy. But there is nothing realistic about raising taxes on anyone---the rich included.

Consider the following.

1. Literally hundreds of regulatory agencies and commissions employ thousands of workers. American taxpayers pay their salaries. Discontinue their employment and stop a sink-hole of wasteful spending.

2. There are at present over 2 million government workers. American taxpayers pay their salaries. Discontinue their employment. Another dollar drain stopped.

3. Elected officials are given on average $164,000 per year for the highly questionable "work" they do. Multiply that average by 535. American taxpayers pay for that. Cut elected officials pay 75%. Get rid of the jets and the helicopters and the free meals and travel expenses. More money saved.

4. The cost of maintaining government buildings in D.C. alone comes to staggering millions of dollars. American taxpayers pay for that. By shutting down government agencies and discontinuing the employment of federal workers, those buildings can be rented out or sold to private enterprise. This would save more millions of dollars.

5. The government claims that it owns millions of acres of our nation's land. Sell the land to private individuals. Use the money to pay the bills the government has incurred.

Why is it that the American taxpayers are forever forced to pay for government fiascoes? Why is it that government officials never think of cutting their own salaries and expenses but expect American taxpayers to tighten their belts instead?

Time to set out priorities properly. Get rid of big government and save a trillion dollars or so of irresponsible, useless, wasteful and damaging spending.

The Enormous Cost of Big Government

We have some 2 million plus government employees at present. They are only the tip of the statist flames consuming our republic. I plan to post more information on the salaries and size of scores of regulatory agencies, department heads, elected officials and appointees and the extraordinary expensiveness of maintaining the White House, its building, grounds and kitchen staff.

Those figures will NOT include millions spent on Ms. Pelosi's personal jet and its fuel, nor the countless perks she deems herself "entitled" to. Nor will it include mention of the TWENTY attendants that make up part of Mrs. Obama's personal entrourage and costs the taxpayers in the neighborhood of $2 million.

All that feeding at the taxpayer's expense, while the government wants to increase taxes on our businesses, small and large, introduce a "transaction tax" on all bank dealings, loot our retirement funds and force us to buy things we do not want.

However, I've not written that report yet because I've been a bit busy with political activism; so, I print below an e-mail I received this morning, Tuesday, September 28, 2010.

FYI: I have already voted for cutting spending by acessing http://republicanwhip.house.gov/YouCut/

If any of you also are interested in voting I would appreciate your comments here or on Facebook to let me know what you think. Thanks. Here's the e-mail from YouCut.

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The policies put forward by President Obama and Speaker Pelosi over the last 20 months have caused the size and reach of the government to grow exponentially.

Since President Obama took office, the Federal civilian workforce has grown by approximately 188,000 new employees (this number even excludes temporary census workers) or about 15 percent. Meanwhile, the private sector has lost millions of jobs and the unemployment rate hovers around 10 percent.

This week's winning YouCut item, supported by Rep. Lummis of Wyoming, would save the taxpayers $35 billion over the next ten years by reining in the growth of the federal workforce.

We need to cut spending immediately and we need to end the uncertainty that has paralyzed our nation's economy. Click [ http://republicanwhip.house.gov/YouCut/ ] to vote on the next five YouCut projects and we will bring the winning item to the floor for a vote.

Regards,
Eric Cantor
House Republican Whip