How to be a Left-Wing Budget Balancer

by Bobby Eberle: The Obama administration has barely had time to get settled into the job, yet the actions of this new president have already transitioned into the surreal. Under Barack Obama, every problem facing this country comes with a liberal remedy and a huge, taxpayer-funded price tag. Economy in trouble? Throw money at it. Banks failing? Throw money at it? Mortgage mess? Throw even more money at it?

Obviously, there are numerous problems with this approach, and they all fall under the umbrella of "common sense." However, common sense is an attribute in short supply in Washington, DC. What's even crazier than the proposed socialist solutions by Obama and company, is the fact that Obama is now screaming about the deficit. Does anyone really think that Obama or the liberals in Congress would actually cut any government program with the exception of the military and defense?

That's right... Barack Obama is now talking about "slashing the deficit." This talk is coming from the man who pushed for (and received) a stimulus bill in the neighborhood of three-quarters of a trillion dollars. What did he do after handing the country the biggest dose of government spending and control in history? He followed up with a speech requesting a quarter of a trillion dollars to tackle the housing and mortgage crisis... that's right, everything is a crisis with him.

So, there's a trillion dollars of taxpayer money being thrown at the problem. Never mind the fact that the stock market continues to go down, that this is money America doesn't have, and that people can solve problems better than government. The spending doesn't stop there, however. Now, the House Democrats are proposing $410 billion in their latest spending bill. As noted in the news story, "The measure includes thousands of earmarks, the pet projects favored by lawmakers but often criticized by the public in opinion polls." The bill represents "an increase of roughly 8% over spending in the last fiscal year."

That's right... an 8% increase. This increase is much higher than the inflation rate, and comes when the nation is already getting all those liberal stimulus dollars. Barack Obama, of course, supports this increase in spending, but is suddenly seeing the need to "slash the deficit." What gives? Believe it or not, the Associated Press, in its story on Obama's pledge to cut the deficit, actually provides a clue to this motivation. The AP reporter actually writes, "With his re-election race just a few years away, he also has an interest in avoiding being labeled as a big-government, big-spending Democrat."

If even the AP sees politics being played with Obama's budget comments, that's really saying something. Just reading the sentence makes me shake my head. The guy just got elected, and he's already posturing for reelection? And the AP words this action as if it's to be expected. After all, his reelection is "just a few years away." Hello! He just took the oath of office!

So, how does Obama do it? How does he slam the country with massive spending and government intervention and then balance the budget? The answer is simple, and it starts with a big, capital T. That's right... taxes. Taxes, taxes, and more taxes. Of course, the liberals don't expect all Americans to bear this burden. Tax increases for the "rich" will do just fine. It's pathetic.

As CNSNews.com reports, "With massive tax increases waiting in the wings for American taxpayers when the Bush tax cuts end in 2010, the Obama administration and Congressional Democrats will soon turn their attention to taxes." President Bush's tax cuts will expire next year unless Congress renews them. Without the renewal, the citizens of this country will face a massive tax increase.

The top tax rate would jump from 35% (which should be already be illegal) to 39%. For the record, I support the Fair Tax and always have. However, as long as the income tax is in place, no one should have a percentage higher than 15% and it should be fair. Everyone should pay their share. A "rich" person will always pay more because he or she makes more. It's simple math. So, the idea that this person should also be assigned a higher percentage to pay is just plain wrong.

The current 10% tax bracket would climb to 15%, but I'm sure Obama would say, "Well that's not fair" and try to raise the upper brackets even higher. What would that do to the economy and job creation? Our big spending president will become a watchdog for the budget just in time for reelection. How convenient. But we all know that no program will be cut. No experiment in social engineering will see its funds disappear. No department which takes freedom away from individuals and places the control with the government will see that power diminish. No, instead, Obama will tax and tax and tax. That's change we can all believe in.... and change we can do without.

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