All I Want for Christmas is Small Government!
December 2018

Seriously, Congressional Republicans, just TRY to decrease the size, power, and force of the United States Federal Government. That is all I ask for this Christmas.

Well, on second thought, a shiny German convertible would be nice too, but I’ll take either option!

Recent attempts at Tax overhaul and reform have been met with substantial opposition by, basically, everyone. From tea partiers to granola munching environmentalists, most people do not want passage of tax reform due to some provision that collides with their altruistic ideals. I take no interest in convincing anyone to call their congressmen to vote yes with ecstatic joy. To be fair, I doubt this RINO reform is beneficial, since a final bill will not be complete until budget reconciliation (and John McCain will be involved at some point). I would much rather bring the electorate to the same reality where I exist.

Our government survives on the verge of bankruptcy. Over 20 trillion dollars in federal debt, trillions in states’ debt, and tens of trillions of dollars in future unfunded pension, health, and entitlement liabilities that could very well doom this nation. Federal expenditures are out of control. The current trajectory of the U.S. Federal Budget does not go on forever, no matter how important each individual considers their almighty piece of the pie.

If you read the New York Times, on the other hand, you can’t believe that our leaders, who were rightfully elected by American voters, may attempt to reduce the size of government (or at least the taxpayers’ burden). Hard to believe Republicans won on the basis of tax and spending cuts, right?

Of course, the Times has their usual joust against the GOP, with their portrayal of the party as multimillionaire, privileged playboys who provide sole representation for the insidious super rich.

“Many view the legislation not as a product of genuine deliberation, but as a transfer of wealth to corporations and affluent individuals,” as stated in a recent article by the Times titled “It Started as a Tax Cut. Now It Could Change American Life.”

I forgot that, in the land of Times, a person’s right to their own money is restricted by the political elites who want to control all that money. Liberals are reaching the point of delusion in contemporary political life that they argue any policy that taxes rich people less is a “wealth transfer” to those same wealthy taxpayers. In real life however, tax cuts are actually letting people who make all the money keep a little more of the share they earned.

Even better, former Obama administration economist Larry Summers recently stated that thousands of people will die from Tax Reform. No reply for that one, but I thought it worthwhile to include in this discussion.

There are some, albeit limited, but valid arguments that cutting taxes could make debt projections worse. Americans need to see a clear connection between level of taxation and government services. The U.S. has served poor citizens and domestic affairs beyond its means after half a century of continuous, creeping big government. Keeping taxes as high as they are now though won’t help anyone, and there will still be a massive budget deficit anyway.

My plan is simple: cut taxes AND spending. The future must include a smaller government. Entitlements require simplification and overall reductions. Government involvement in education and healthcare needs to decrease. In addition, the states should have the choice to become overtaxed, pseudo-scandanavian hellholes of their own, but taxpayers in other states should not be obliged to subsidize such delirious behavior (ergo, end state and local deductions). If California wants to hand welfare checks to anchor babies, that’s fine, but that state should pay for their benefits on their own. All of us in Real America don’t want to foot the bill any longer!

The current GOP tax plan is far from the best route, but the current composition of the legislative branch will prevent anything more substantial from arriving on President Trump’s desk. If Americans want a genuine chance to prevent government from controlling each aspect of our economic livelihoods, maybe it’s time to reconsider some of our positions.
Buddy Walker
buddysays.net