Mark S. Blackburn, MBA
The Libertarians usually have thoughful analyses. I particularly like this one. Why can't we have an amendment that requires the USA leaders unable to declare a war until the national debt is fully paid? This would be good policy!
-Mark Blackburn
Libertarians lambaste Bush
for funding war with deficit spending
WASHINGTON, DC -- By funding
the war with deficit spending rather than
program cuts, President Bush is piling one outrage on top of another,
Libertarians say.
"If this war is as important as the president claims, why isn't he
asking for a sacrifice from the government as well as from the
people?" asked Geoffrey Neale, national chairman of the Libertarian
Party. "If there's one thing worse than an unnecessary war, it's
funding that war with borrowed money."
The deficit will increase dramatically if Congress approves the $74.7
billion supplemental spending bill that Bush requested on Tuesday to
fight the war in Iraq for the next several months. The supplemental
spending would be added to the record $2.23 trillion budget planned for
fiscal 2003.
Bush's request has Libertarians asking: If U.S. troops can sacrifice
their lives for the war effort, can't Democrats and Republicans
sacrifice a few of their favorite government programs?
"Bush's request of $75 billion represents just one-thirtieth of the
overall federal budget," Neale said. "Since there are literally
thousands of wasteful, unnecessary federal programs, cutting one out of
every 30 should be easy."
One example is corporate welfare.
"A study by Time magazine in 1998 estimated that corporate welfare
costs U.S. taxpayers $125 billion annually -- nearly twice as much as
Bush is requesting for the war," Neale said. "Does the president
believe that funneling money to these corporate fat cats is more
important than supporting U.S. troops in Iraq? If not, why doesn't
he
propose shutting off that spigot of special interest money?"
Dozens of other wasteful, unnecessary programs could be ended as well,
he said.
"Last year farm subsidies ate up $35 billion, or about half of what
Bush is requesting for the war," Neale said. "This year Congress will
spend $10 billion for anti-AIDS programs in Africa. It will squander
$100 million on the National Endowment for the Arts, embark on a $400
billion program to prop up Medicare, and fund countless pork barrel
projects. Can't any of these programs be cut in a time of national
crisis?"
Even a small, symbolic sacrifice, such as asking Congress to give back
the $5,000 pay raise that it accepted earlier this year, might indicate
that politicians are trying to do their part, Neale suggested.
"In a time of national crisis, patriotism requires that politicians
put the national interest above their own self-interest," Neale said.
"One way they can do that is by resisting the temptation to go on yet
another borrowing binge.
"Especially with U.S. troops being captured and killed in Iraq, it's
time to expect a little sacrifice in Washington, DC."
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The Libertarian Party
http://www.lp.org/
2600 Virginia Ave. NW, Suite 100
voice: 202-333-0008
Washington DC 20037
fax: 202-333-0072
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Mark Blackburn
Mark S. Blackburn, MBA
1310 E Street Victorian
Sacramento, CA 95814
916.444.6500
Write to Mark: Mark_Blackburn@Yahoo.com