Whether it is fighting the War on Terror, improving education, reducing the costs of health care or improving the economy, our nation is facing unprecedented challenges. Each year Congress passes the federal budget, which outlines how it plans to address our nation’s priorities.
The budget resolution passed by the House shows clear differences between Republicans and Democrats in spending, taxes and handling taxpayer money. Republicans fervently believe the spending of taxpayers’ money is a sacred trust. Democrats, on contrary, believe the government is more sacred than the taxpayer.
House Republicans put together a fiscally responsible budget that allows funding for our top priorities. We kept nondefense, non-homeland security discretionary funding level. More importantly, this budget has a blueprint to cut the deficit in half in four years while still assuring there are no tax increases.
We are making the necessary changes to reduce the deficit without further burdening hard-working families. After all, with many hard-working families having to tighten their belts, there is no reason for Congress not to do the same.
The bottom line is the Republican Congress continues working hard to lower taxes for all Americans so they can keep more of their money. It was no different in writing this budget.
Democrats disagree. Last year, House Democrats, while complaining about too much spending, proposed alternatives to major pieces of legislation that would have added almost a trillion dollars to the deficit. This year in the Budget Committee, they proposed amendments that would have increased spending by $28.6 billion in fiscal 2005.
During floor consideration of the Senate Budget Resolution this year, Senate Democrats proposed more than $80 billion of new spending just for fiscal 2005 — and threw in up to $318 billion over the next five years.
The Democrats do not share our conviction. They believe Americans do not deserve to keep their hard-earned money. As evidence, they offered three alternative budgets. Each alternative sought to increase taxes: one by $119.4 billion, the second by $164.9 billion and the third by $168.2 billion — almost threefold the entire budget of the state of Florida.
When you cut through all the Democrats’ good rhetoric, the fact is they are trying to increase the people’s taxes massively.
The Republican budget upholds the tax relief because we recognize it has spurred our nation’s economic recovery and is giving businesses the chance to create new jobs. Not only would the Democrats’ proposed tax increases put an unnecessary weight on taxpayers, but it would punish the economy and crush future job opportunities.
The federal government spends $69,307 per second. Unfortunately, a significant percentage of these funds are wasted. This waste not only robs the taxpayer but also steals benefits from deserving individuals — including veterans, families in need, students, seniors and children — that our federal agencies are charged to serve.
Our budget directs five House committees (Agriculture, Education and Work Force, Energy and Commerce, Government Reform and Oversight, and Ways and Means) to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse in program areas under their jurisdiction. While it will not eliminate all waste, this is an important step to get a handle on the grotesque waste, fraud and abuse that always have existed in the federal government.
For example, a recent GAO report found bureaucrats at the Agriculture Department were using taxpayer-funded purchase cards for premium satellite and cable TV packages (including charges for pornographic movies) for almost $5,000; fish costumes, web-of-life costumes, and a hand-switched salmon tent for $16,250; an aquarium for $3,000; and a billiard table for $2,300. Yet the Democrats insist on trying to raise the taxes of the hard-working American people. That is the difference. They insist on trying to raise taxes, as their proposals show.
While Republicans make great strides cleaning up wasteful spending, we unfortunately have been forced to try resolving this vast problem alone. Not only did the Democrats offer no provisions to constrain waste, fraud and abuse, they actually voted against them. The House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, Maryland Democrat, is on record going so far as to call the alternate proposal by Chairman Jim Nussle, Iowa Republican, to cut just 1 percent in waste, fraud and abuse “senseless and irresponsible.” Is it senseless and irresponsible to hold the federal government accountable on how taxpayer money is spent? It seems Democrats are more preoccupied with higher taxes than whether tax revenue is effectively handled.
Republicans and Democrats differ on their core principles of budgeting. To Democrats, it is how much taxpayer money Washington spends. To Republicans, it is how Washington spends taxpayer money.
When it comes to controlling spending, lowering taxes, and fighting government waste, fraud and abuse, there are clear differences between Republicans and Democrats. Namely, Republicans care about families, Democrats care about bureaucrats.
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, Florida Republican, is a member of the House Budget Committee and co-founder of the Washington Waste Watchers.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.