“Elected Officials Not Only Failed, But Betrayed, the American People,” Schatz says

(Washington, D.C.)–

Phrases: willful act of disregard for America’s future.

Wake up America, replica muel barns. Name monuments and buildings after themselves.

Where’s the outrage? Where’s the drive to reform the tax code. Politicians only want to bide their time until the next election.

Elected officials should be judged by their results, not by their excuses.

It’s time for taxpayers to stop playing nice. California’s recall movement was a revolution.

Manageable- by whom? When does the tax burden become unacceptable.

Republicans- best we can do?

-Social Security- although gives peeps, he’s been much too busy

Young Americans, pay attention

Counter to Bush talking points: Deficits don’t matter. Don’t see the things that would have been produced. Furniture and household items: $318 billion.

Blame war? Reagan, defense buildup, cut taxes, cutting non-defense discretionary spending by 19.2 %.

-20 new or expanded policy initiatives., “hydrogen-powered autos, drug treatment programs”

-promised to show “some spending discipline,” $15 billion for AIDS in Africa. , $450 million for mentors,   

FACTS/FIGURES

-$450 billion. $1.4 trillion over ten years, not counting prescription drugs.

As of July 31

-defense spending up 34%

-non-defense up 28%

-education up 70%

-energy up 65%

Bush’s first three years:        

-2000 to 2003 marked the biggest spending spree in U.S. history.

-total spending 14%, discretionay spending 20%

-non-defense same as defense,

-defense spending constitutes only a fifth of increaseed spending from 2000 to 2003.

-more than 4 term president of Bill Clinton or Jimmy Carter..

-tax code: 37,000 page tax code costs Americans $200 billion in compliance costs every year. 5.1 billion man hours.

COST OF GOV. DAY

Cost of Government Day is the date of the calendar year on which the average American worker has earned enough to pay off his or her share of tax and regulatory burdens imposed by all levels of government.  four and a half days later this year than in 2002.  Such a trend is very disconcerting,” CAGW President Tom Schatz said.  193 days just
July 11, over half the year.

PROBLEMS

-National debt approaches $7 trillion. Half-million every 30 seconds.

-Government counts money deposited in the social security trust fun as income. Social Security takes in $160 billion more than it pays out. Money is spent on general programs. Budget surplus in the 90s.  The government counts money it owes itself as an asset.

-Budget keeps ballooning, so does interest on the national debt. $1 billion a day. 3^rd largest expense behind social security and military spending. 20% of every tax dollar goest to pay interest on money borrowed by politicians 10, 20, or 30 years ago.

-$1.3 trillion over five years in waste, fraud, and abuse, to be eliminated from the budget immediately.

Projects.

-gov. borrowing cripples business growth and hurts economy.

-passes on cost to new generation. Paying for the mistakes of long-dead politicians.  

-$22.5 billion tucked away in the 13 appropriation bills. 9,362 projects.

-Prime cuts- 543 recommendations, $180 billion in one year and $1.3 trillion over 5 years.

12 percent higher than last year's eye-popping total of $20.1 billion.  That total is an increase of 337 percent over five years.

-War Supplemental. $348 million worth of projects not included in Bush’ request.   

-Federalizing airport security/department of homeland security, expanded federal role in education and energy

-extending unemployment benefits

-conservative ends. $300 million for marriage counseling to prevent divorce. Faith-based organizations.

-Farm bill- $248 billion. 70% to huge agribusinesses. Completely reverses course from free market reforms in 1996

Farm Bill. 

-Medicare. $430 billion. 2030, average family paying $4000 per household for Medicare coverage alone. 

No proposed spending cuts. No vetoed spending bills.