Renewing Our Founding Principles
December 15, 2009
by: Rep. Paul Broun, M.D. (R-Ga.)

Government WasteWatch, Winter 2009

Nearly one year ago I stood before the Congress to plead with my colleagues for more responsible action.  America was facing a fork in the road.  One path led towards bigger government, more regulations, higher taxes, and, ultimately, socialism.  The other path would lead America towards freedom, prosperity, and economic growth.

At that time, President Barack Obama, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid were pushing a trillion dollar “non-stimulus” bill that was suppose to keep unemployment below eight percent.  Now, as unemployment has skyrocketed above 10 percent and the government continues to spend and waste taxpayer dollars, America faces a threat as menacing as any that has come before. In the past, the assaults on our freedom have come from outside our borders.  Now, the biggest threat comes from an ever-expanding federal government and a massive debt that will be shouldered by our children and grandchildren.
 
But today, I am growing increasingly encouraged.  There are millions of Americans, many of whom are involved with the outstanding organization Citizens Against Government Waste, who are determined to fight for the freedom and limited government that are guaranteed to them by the Constitution.  Because of the hard work and dedication of these individuals, I have faith that this nation can again be a beacon of freedom to the world.
 
For well over a year now, I have pointed to a “steamroller of socialism” being driven by Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, and being fueled by Barack Obama.  Now is the time for all of us to stand together and put up a stop sign in front of this steamroller, to not only end the destruction it has caused, but also start to repair the damage.  It is time for a new direction where government is not grown, but pruned back to its most basic level.  It is time for government to get out of the way and for America’s entrepreneurs and families to be empowered with the tools for success.  It is time for a new “Agenda for American Liberty.”
 
This “Agenda for American Liberty” is not complicated and does not require legislation several thousand pages long.  It is based on a simple premise - less government, not more.  It must be built on the basic principles of a balanced budget, lower taxes, a strong national defense, energy independence, and fewer regulations on businesses. 
 
Without a doubt, the federal government should maintain a balanced budget each and every year.  Just this past year, I offered several cost-cutting amendments during the appropriations process, all of which were rejected.  The Democrats wouldn’t even accept a meager half a percent across-the-board spending reduction.  That’s just half a penny of each tax dollar spent!  Every year, Citizens Against Government Waste produces their Congressional Pig Book.  This important publication lists wasteful government spending, usually in the form of outrageous earmarks or “pork.”  Unfortunately, the Congressional Pig Book appears to be getting larger each year; in 2009, it nearly topped $20 billion!  This is wasteful spending that we cannot sustain and it must stop.
 
As a part of balancing the budget and returning to fiscal responsibility, we must cut taxes.  By leaving dollars in your pockets and those of small businesses, we can stimulate the economy faster than any trillion-dollar government “stimulus” ever could.  The federal government must get back to serving the people, resist the temptation to redistribute the wealth, and stop creating new, costly programs. 
 
Providing a strong national defense is a constitutional duty of the federal government that is essential to maintaining freedom in America.  As part of our national defense, we must also strive for energy independence.  The “Agenda for American Liberty” must have an “all-of-the-above” energy plan that encourages exploration of alternative energy technology, while allowing access to the abundance of national resources we have here in America. 
 
Finally, we must reduce the regulatory obstacles placed on our nation’s entrepreneurs and small businesses.  I am an ardent capitalist.  I believe that the marketplace, unencumbered by taxes and regulation, is the best way to control cost, quantity, and quality of all goods and services. 
 
Burdens like a massive healthcare takeover that would raise taxes, reduce the quality of care, grow the size of the federal government and create socialized medicine, are not going to help our economy or fix our healthcare financing problem.  However, thanks to millions of active citizens, there is still hope to pull our government back from the abyss and towards freedom and fiscal responsibility. 
 
We must light a match to the grass-roots movement that began earlier this year to create a grass-fires movement that demands change.  The Administration ridicules patriots who have publicly expressed their opposition by labeling them “Astroturf,” but I know that you represent the hardworking folks that make America so successful.  I applaud those Americans who are already contacting their elected leaders, but we must push forward.  I encourage you to contact everyone you know to get involved, and have them do the same.  We must make Congress and this Administration stand up and take notice.  We must demand that they stop their drive towards socialism and focus instead on an “Agenda for American Liberty.”  Please, keep up the hard work and we will win a great victory for freedom. 

Rep. Broun was CCAGW’s lone 2009 Taxpayer Super Hero with a 100 percent rating in CCAGW’s Congressional Ratings.