Posted on 10/30/2003 12:25:29 PM PST by aynfan
Death by a Thousand Cuts: Spending cuts do not lead to a smaller government.
By Robert Wolf
When, oh when, will Americans catch on to the deception practiced upon us, largely by Republicans, that spending cuts are reducing the size of the Federal government?
Cuts in spending accomplish no such thing. They slow the growth of government debt, and even that by no appreciable amount, but not the growth of government. Not a single government program will have less money this year, next year or any year--each and every year they get more.
In perpetuity it seems, Republicans are allowed the fiction that they are doing us a favor by trimming budgets and the Democrats afforded the propaganda advantage that programs are being slashed. The truth is, the Democrats dream up the give aways and the Republicans figure out how to fund them. As long as citizens buy into the illusion that cuts are the road to smaller government, government already bloated beyond belief, will continue to grow.
Forgetting for awhile why we have a government that believes it needs to mettle in every aspect of our lives, the frightening fact is that once a government program gets on the books, it is there forever. The sentimental nannies, mostly Democrats, who wax hysterical over not spending enough on this or that program are simply performing for their constituents; making the political points that will get them reelected. They know full well anycuts in growth will be restored a year or two later.
Legislators threaten, thunder, and shed crocodile tears that this or that give away is under-funded, knowing that congressional authorization is what really matters, and historical budgets take care of the rest. Programs that have driven homemakers into the work force and will have our children working in the coming years have been on the books for decades, yet there is always an apparent need for more. Anyone who has watched the mad pitchman Mathew Lesko sell his books knows that virtually every Washington give away has clones in multiple agencies.
So, why does the deception succeed? It succeeds because most Americans are of a Libertarian bent, and really do want smaller government. What is surprising is that they continue to think that Republicans are delivering on that promise. As long as Americans cling to the two party system and dismiss Libertarians as potheads, the federal government will continue to grow.
The obvious in your face solution is to cut programs and agencies. One way of beginning the process might be to give the hydra a single neck, i.e., unify the handouts restricting them to a single program in a single agency; and then sunset whatever Congress does, so that programs and regulations will be revisited in a time certain, perhaps when cooler heads prevail.
Let's get busy cutting!
This makes no sense to me. If they cut spending, then at least one program has less money.
Very special guest: Gary Bauer
Campaign for Working Families and American Values author of Doing Things Right
Tune in and hear terrifying stories about: LIBERAL INSANITY!!!
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