UPDATED: RSC unveils new fiscal strategy
The Republican Study Committee has come up with an American Taxpayer Bill of Rights which includes the following:
1) Taxpayers have a right to have a federal government that does not grow beyond their ability to pay for it.RedState notes the RSC is making this a priority:
2) Taxpayers have a right to receive back each dollar that they entrust to the government for their retirement.
3) Taxpayers have a right to expect the government to balance the budget without having their taxes raised.
4) Taxpayers have a right to a simple, fair tax code that they can understand.
Throughout the course of the year, conservative members will be introducing legislation to accomplish each goal. While the likelihood of success remains difficult in a Congress controlled by Democrats, Hensarling and Campbell said they would be using Republican presidential candidates as leverage to shine the spotlight on their priorities.Interesting. Thoughts? Comments?
[UPDATE - 3/14 - 4:09pm] Reason: Hit & Run has some commentary on this new strategy.
[UPDATE - 3/14 - 8:54pm] Brad over at The Liberty Papers has chimed in with his two cents:
Aha! I’ve got it. These were the same promises they gave us in 1994, and they didn’t follow through on them. They had control of both houses of Congress and the presidency for 6 years, up until 2 months ago. Why are they making these promises of what they’ll do if we put them back in power NOW, when they didn’t say a thing about it when they held the reins?
[UPDATE- 3/14 - 9:03pm] The Club for Growth supports it.
Comments
Thoughts and comments?
Why couldn't they have done this when they were in the f*ck*ng majority?
That's what I want to know. Six years of majority, and they spend and spend and spend. Two months in the minority, and they find their roots?
Posted by: Brad Warbiany | March 14, 2007 02:28 AM
My sentiments exactly. They talk a good game, but they blew the perfect opportunity to make it a reality. If they're serious this time, Ron Paul will be the nominee for President in 2008. Unless that happens, I'm not buying it.
Posted by: MyMoney | March 14, 2007 06:34 AM
I could not agree more. I would add the the first of the leading GOP candidate who adopts this proposal as his own will quickly rise in popularity with primary voters.
Posted by: John Galt | March 14, 2007 07:30 AM
"The federal budget must not grow faster than American faster than families' Americans ability to pay for it.
I don't find anything in the first "right" that offers any remedy to the excessive size of gov't. Nothing about actually decreasing spending.
"Taxpayers have the right to receive back each and EVERY dollar they entrust to the government for their retirement."
Americans should have the right NOT to be FORCED to entrust their money to the gov't for their retirement.
The whole thing still sounds like big gov't to me.
I do like number 4, although I don't think they have the political will to fight for something like the Fair Tax.
Posted by: Danny | March 14, 2007 09:46 AM
Republicans are full of crap.
Vote third party or Vote Democrat.
Posted by: Trev | March 14, 2007 09:47 AM
Trevor, are Democrats any better than Republicans?
Posted by: Jason | March 14, 2007 11:50 AM
Is the LP better than anything?
Posted by: cmob | March 14, 2007 02:20 PM
If you believe in personal and economic freedom then the LP reigns supreme.
Posted by: MyMoney | March 14, 2007 02:45 PM
Is that like nacho supreme or Taco supreme, where I can get sour cream?
Posted by: cmob | March 14, 2007 03:13 PM
In my opinion the Democratic Party is better than the Republican Party.
1) Democrats are for the most part for civil liberities, whereas Republicans are essentially 95% anti-civil liberities.
2) At least the pro-tax Democrats tell you what they're going to do... whereas the Republicans lie to you and then screw you anyway.
So yeah... if there's a third party option than vote third party, otherwise, I'm voting Democrat in 2008.
Posted by: Trev | March 14, 2007 05:08 PM
1) Democrats are for the most part for civil liberities, whereas Republicans are essentially 95% anti-civil liberities.
Democrats stand for group rights, not individual rights. Not to mention that the party supports gun control and the collectivist interpretation of the Second Amendment.
So they are no better that Republicans in my opinion.
2) At least the pro-tax Democrats tell you what they're going to do... whereas the Republicans lie to you and then screw you anyway.
Not really. They passed the PAYGO rule and basically lied to the country over what it is for.
Posted by: Jason | March 14, 2007 05:12 PM
As far as I can see, the GOP is winning the lie race.
Plus, there's that whole winless war where the GOP has killed over 3,000 Americans and God only knows how many other innocents.
Oh yeah, we still haven't captured bin Laden, in case anyone's wondering.
If I have to support one of the big boys, I've gotta go Democrat.
Posted by: Trev | March 14, 2007 06:16 PM
I cannot believe you actually said that.
Posted by: Jason | March 14, 2007 06:19 PM
I thought Muslim terrorists were killing the Americans over there, but it's Republicans? Why haven't the major news outlets picked that up?
Posted by: Dutch | March 14, 2007 07:08 PM
"If I have to support one of the big boys, I've gotta go Democrat."
Thank goodness, I would hate to think that you and I might support the same party.
Posted by: Joe | March 14, 2007 08:14 PM
We were hoodwinked into thinking wepons of mass destruction were the problem, then came the terrorists, now it's a civil war. Frankly, I think it was a Republican ploy to keep us all from keeping an eye on AG Gonzalez as he fired all the US attorneys. ;-)
Either way--Democrat or Republican--big government is a big waste and artificially manipulates "free market." And without a free market, none of us are free.
Posted by: Wonder Dog | March 14, 2007 09:13 PM