The people from Montana are well aware that the nation is struggling with a debt crisis. The road that got us here was one of deficit spending where our government spent much more than it received in taxes. This has continued with the most recent budget proposals and unless we take a stand, the national deficit will continue to boom for at least another ten years. Under the current proposals the national could double during that time.
The deficit is not a result of our taxes being too low. In a struggling economy taxes need to remain low to provide fuel to get the economy going again. The spending side of the equation is where the problem lies and we cannot continue the reckless spending that has been the hallmark of politicians in Washington. We need to get our fiscal affairs in order in a hurry. To do that, we need to run our national budget so that the government spends no more than it receives in taxes.
Keeping taxes low while balancing the national budget can be done. Starting with running a more efficient government is a good starting point. Where government can be made smaller, especially if shrinking it adds to efficiency, is another area which should receive our highest level of attention. Eliminating self-serving pork barrel spending that doesn’t create jobs or move the economy forward in any way should be one of our highest priorities.
Steve Daines is an American businessman and politician from Bozeman, Montana who was the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Montana in 2008, running on the ticket with Roy Brown, the Republican nominee for governor.