Democratic Demagoguery and Absurdity - Again

Ridiculous, deceptive, out-right lies never seem to end from the Democratic Party. Witness the following quote from Representative Jim McDermott, in reference to the tax cut extension that recently passed the House and is expected to pass the Senate:

"The Republican Party ... is sending all the millionaires on an all-expenses-paid vacation — for $41,000 a year," said Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash). "The rest of America is being forced to choose between filling the gas tank or stocking the refrigerator."

This statement is nonsense on its face. Utter nonsense. The assertion that the general American public is being forced to choose between buying gas or buying food is patently ABSURD. Representative McDermott knows this, yet he makes the statement anyway, in a desperate attempt to gain some sort of political foothold for his party.

Another point that seems to be lost on the Democrats is the fact that this legislation merely extends the existing tax rates. Passage of this bill doesn't provide anyone with additional tax cuts, or put any additional money in anyone's pocket, rich or poor. It simply prevents an otherwise automatic increase in tax rates that would result from the expiration of the cuts passed in 2003.

In reality, what Representative McDermott is arguing for is a TAX INCREASE. Not passing this legislation would result in taxes going up for a large percentage of taxpayers.

Frankly, the more the Democrats argue for increasing taxes, with the attendant slowing of the economy and reduction in tax revenues, the better off the Republicans are.

An Idea Whose Time Has Come

The GOP has recently called for a "Sunset Commission", which would identify and recommend the elimination of unneeded federal agencies. Similar to the BRAC (or Base Realignment and Closure Commission), which recommends the closure of unneeded military bases, the Sunset Commission would have real power.

Its recommendations would be bundled for consideration by Congress. Individual federal agencies or programs within the bundled recommendations could not be tinkered with by legislators. The package of closures as a whole would need to be voted up or down.

There are scores of government programs and agencies that waste our taxes, with no broad benefit to the American people. This is just the sort of step that Congress needs to take to reduce the runaway spending at the Federal level. Reports are that the idea is gaining momentum as the GOP's conservative base demands that something be done to follow through on the Republican's promises of limited government.

Please call/fax/email your Senators and House representative and ask them to support the Sunset Commission.

Democrats - The Party of... Well, What, Exactly?

Lately, the Democratic Party seems to be the party of anger, obstructionism, and wild-eyed Bush-hatred. Try this little thought experiment: Name five things the Democratic Party is FOR (Platitudes about world peace or relieving suffering don't count; just about everyone of every party would like those things to happen, the only differences they have are how we get there). Bet you can't.

Mark Steyn, writing in the Chicago Sun Times, said it well, I think:

. . . the high holiness of dissent for its own sake is now the core belief of the Democratic Party: It's not what you're for, it's what you're against. Their current denunciations of Big Oil have a crudely effective opportunism but say to them "OK, what's your energy policy?" and see what answers you get: More domestic oil? Ooh, no, we can't disturb the pristine ANWRbreeding ground of the world's largest mosquito herd. More nuclear power, like the French? Ooh, no, might be another Three Mile Island. Er, OK, you're the mass transit guys; how about we go back to wood-fired steam trains? Ooh, no, we're opposed to logging, in case it causes global warming, or cooling, or both.

Remember that when you go to the voting booth this November: you can either vote for a candidate from a party that's for positions (like cutting taxes, immigration control, strong national defense, freedom from government interference, etc), or you can vote for a candidate from a party that's AGAINST everything.

Should be an easy decision...