Small Steps to Fiscal Responsiblity

On Tuesday, the Senate Appropriations Committee announced a two year moratorium on earmarks. Last week, the House passed H.R.359 which if passed in the Senate and signed by the President would end the Presidential Campaign Fund.

Neither of these actions will make a huge difference in our Federal deficit, but they are both small steps toward the goal. Up until two years ago, we were increasing spending in small steps and if Congress starts making the small steps in the other direction regularly it will be a positive move.

I've already heard Senators and Representatives talking in opposition to these actions and they need to hear from every taxpayer. Reducing the deficit will take effort, hard choices, and discipline. If we make the question one of, "Does it do good" we will never reducing Federal spending. No matter what the spending is on, someone thinks it is important. We must remember that we cannot spend money we don't have.

I congratulate both the House and Senate for taking the first of many small steps in cutting runaway spending. I also urge every citizen to keep the pressure on Congress so that we can start taking bigger steps in the future.

The actions of thousands of Granges across the county should serve as a living example of living within your means.

Fiscal Responsiblity

In November, I gave my third Annual Address to the delegates of the National Grange. The following two paragraphs were from the fiscal responsibility section.

"There is no issue with greater impact on our Nation than the fiscal responsibility of our elected officials at each level of government. If we allow our elected officials to fail to exercise prudent fiscal restraint we destroy what our country has stood for over the past 234 years. Our nation and states cannot spend more than we receive over the long-term, and we cannot continue to raise taxes and fees without harming the initiative and strong work ethic of the average American.

"Our great nation has developed a serious spending problem over the last few decades. Over the past two years our federal government has accelerated this problem beyond any precedent. In the past year, 37 cents of every dollar that our federal government spent was borrowed. By having huge deficits in the budget, we are creating long-term debt that was unimaginable a decade ago."

The debate in Congress on keeping our taxes at their current level should have been held months or even years ago instead of this week. Instead of making the debate one of partisanship, it should be one of finding the best solution for American taxpayers and our economy.

From the looks of things today, a great deal of increased spending will be included with keeping our taxes at their current rate. The estate or death tax looks to be re-instituted, but at somewhat lower levels than they were in 2001. It appears that no one will be happy with the final bill, but there is hope that something will pass this week.

2011 needs to be the year that we reduce spending and Congress needs to continue hearing that message.