Government Spending

Our nation is $15 Trillion in debt. Not to mention $107 Trillion in unfunded liabilities for social security, medicare, and medicaid. The government spends $3.8 Trillion per year. And only raises $2.2 Trillion in revenues. Do the math -- the nation is bankrupt, without the ability to solve this crisis without substantial reduction in expenditures, and eliminating government expense in areas where they are not authorized. The simple fact is, the career politicians of both parties are incapable of solving the crisis they created.

This crisis must be addressed immediately, as we work toward a balanced budget. I support a balanced budget amendment.

As a member of Congress, I will apply three rules to every spending decision:
1. The proposed expendure must be Constitutionally authorized. If is not, I will not vote for it.

2. The proposed expenditure must be for a program more appropriate for government action than the free market. An example of appropriate government expenditure is the military. Examples of inappropriate government expenditure include bailout of any private business, or investment in energy development.
3. If Congress is to be involved, it must be something Congress can presently afford. This will force priority of expenditures, so the government lives within its means and only passes the most important and essential laws.

I will not vote for an individual budget which fails to reduce spending in real time, including a minimum of 15% in the first year. Baseline budgeting must end; and we must spend money on a real-time-only basis. I will vary from this pledge only if a comprehensive plan is adopted which will result in a balanced budget (real-time) in ten years or less which may not require at least a 15% reduction in the first year. Examples include the "One Percent Spending Act" legislation (which freezes current spending and requres a minimum 1% reduction in real spending each year for 7 years and which proposes to balance the budget in 7 years); the Tea Party Budget (which proposes various cuts and a balanced budget within three years); the Heritage Foundation American Dream plan, and others which offer, in varying degrees, proposals which are consistent with the above principles.

I have signed and will defend the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. I will not vote for any bill which has a net increase in new taxes as a means of reducing our debt. Revenues can be increased by reducing tax rates, removing impediments to the free market, and getting Americans back to work.

I will work to eliminate waste, duplication, and overlap which can immediately be addressed without even considering tax increases. As examples:
1. I will implement the proposals contained in the March 18, 2011, GAO report, which indicates we can reduce spending by at least $200 Billion by eliminating waste, duplication and overlap, without sacrificing services.
2. I will work to immediately repeal and suspend any expenditure not already advanced under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (the so-called "Stimulus" Bill), which authorizes expenditures through 2016 even though it is established the expenditures have no beneficial economic effect.
3. I will work toward the immediate repea and de-fundingl of Obamacare, which will cost at least $1.5 Trillion to implement, and creates new bureaucracies.
4. I will require all recipients of welfare and unemployment to personally pick up their benefit checks eliminating EBT cards and automatic deposit to accounts. This will both eliminate fraud, studies having shown 30 - 40% of recipients will not show up, becasue of fraud. It will also require accountability by engaging recipients into accepting employment, where available, or engaging in community service in exchange for benefits, both of which will dramatically reduce government expense while increasing personal responsibility.
5. I will work to eliminate foreign aid, with each country seeking aid to start with a $0 entitlement and justifying why any funds are appropriate. We currently give foreign aid to 150 of the 192 countries of the world (including China!) and this must end.
6. I will support dramatic reform, if not elimination, of the Department of Commerce, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Education.
7. I will support dramatic reform of HUD and the EPA.