Cicero

BUDGET

"The budget should be balanced; the treasury should be refilled; public debt should be repaid… lest Rome become bankrupt." Cicero, 63 B.C.

The enigma is not balancing the budget. It is the thinking of the people spending our money. In the 1930's John Maynard Keynes, an economist, developed the theory of deficit spending. The theory is that the Government can borrow in time of need and repay it in time of plenty, we will borrow it now and worry about paying it back tomorrow. This theory has been the guiding light for many of our politicians. Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first to embrace this theory and many politicians have continued his legacy. Politicians do not believe that tomorrow will ever come or hope that they are not around when it does.

Look at the shenanigans going on in the 105th Congress. The Economy is doing well and monies are flowing into the Treasury. The President submits a budget plan, claims it is balanced, ain't so McGee, and the Congress goes along. The budget plan is about 200 billion dollars in the RED. The current plan includes about 100 billion stolen from the Social Security fund and about 68 billion extorted from the Tobacco Companies, "check's in the mail". Ask your member of Congress to send you a copy of page 367 of the Budget Plan. Why do we keep voting for these people? P.T. Barnum may have been right.

Election time is upon us and again we will see our Senators and Representatives parading around the States claiming that they will do this and do that to balance the budget. Some will even submit a piece of legislation, knowing full well that it will die on a Conference Committee floor. Some will extol the virtues of a Balanced Budget Amendment.

A Balanced Budget Amendment, if one could be passed, will project the false impression that the problem is solved. There are many shrewd and smart people that will figure out a way around the Amendment. It is the responsibility of our elected officials to ensure that we do not spend any more than we take in. Elected official is the key. If elected officials are not fiscally responsible then vote them out of office.

Fiscal Responsibility is something that most of us know about. We pay our bills and live within our means. The Federal Government hasn't a clue where the money goes. The Government and our politicians should be held accountable. By law they should be accountable.

"No money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time." U.S. Constitution

Has anyone seen a Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of our money?

Budget Balancing Principles:

  1. Find out what happens to our money.

  2. Promote tax and regulatory policies that encourage economic growth.

  3. Cut Congress's Budget.

  4. Remove duplication of effort, waste, and pork barrel spending.

  5. Replace the welfare state with an opportunity society.

  6. Move money and power out of Washington - back to families, communities, and states.

  7. Privatize Government services and assets that are more properly provided by private businesses and charities.

  8. Reduce foreign aid and expenditures.

  9. Consolidate and eliminate entirely several Cabinet agencies.

  10. Accept sound budget cutting ideas from anyone, regardless of political affiliations.

  11. Cut welfare to Corporate America.

  12. Eliminate nearly 300 programs that no longer serve a useful function, and others that never did.

  13. Demand value for Defense dollars while maintaining a strong National Defense.

  14. Protect, preserve, and improve Social Security and Medicare.

  15. Follow through and do not be deterred. Stick to the principles.

  16. Report to the American people regularly and with candor about where our money goes.

The larger the budget the more government has expanded into our lives. The current budget is the largest in the History of this country.