R. Lee
Wrights
Contributing Editor
R. Lee Wrights is a writer and political activist living in North Carolina. He is co-founder and editor-in-chief of the free speech online magazine Liberty For All and an editor at Free-Market.Net.
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You say you want a tax cut?
Well, America, you have done it again, or at least some of you have. Once again about half of the registered American citizens have turned out at the polls and told the State what they want. But is the State listening? And even if the leaders you have chosen to control your government are listening, will they pay any attention to your desires? Will your trust be justified, or, will the men and women you have selected to occupy the halls of Congress turn a deaf ear to your collective voice? Of course, only time will tell for certain, but preliminary indications are that the President and Congress will do what they want with little regard to the mandate set by the people. What a shame.
Yes, America, your message was loud and clear to anyone that is paying attention. You have given control of the federal government to the Bush Republicans in an off-year election that usually sees the President’s party, whichever one happens to occupy the White House at the time, actually lose seats in Congress. Many of the pre-election polls indicated that the most pressing issue on most of your minds is the economy. So you say you want a tax cut? Too bad. The President says you will have to wait.
That’s right, you can just sit and wait for what you want and expect from the new Republican Congress according to President Bush. On Friday November 8th, a mere three days after you gave the President what he wanted, the Associated Press reported that on Thursday, November 7th, only two days after the election, President Bush said United States citizens can just wait for what they want in return for their generosity. The President told the press that “... homeland security comes first and an economic recovery plan with new tax cuts will wait until next year.” Yes, the leader of the “Party of Smaller Government” says that growing government is more important than the economic recovery of those that give him his power. So, instead of a tax cut and less government intrusion, the American people get a slap in the face. You’d think he would have at least waited a week or so before ignoring such a fresh and plain mandate from “we the people.”
In an election year that saw a Republican revolution of sorts the people of the United States bought into the political rhetoric of the “Party of Smaller Government.” A party that through the years has campaigned on the fundamental issues of less government, scaled back spending, and tax cuts to stimulate economic growth. Now, instead of delivering on their numerous campaign promises, the President says it is necessary to spend more of taxpayer’s money to grow government which means your economic stimulus will be placed on the back burner. Instead of a tax cut, the President insists that Congress deliver to him a whole new department called Homeland Security.
Now I will admit that it sounds pretty friendly. I mean how can anyone oppose having a secure homeland? The problem is the new department will be an unnecessary redundancy. You see, we already have a department for homeland security. As a matter of fact we have had it for decades. It’s called the Department of Defense. Homeland security is the primary mission of the Defense Department, so why do we need another bureaucratic agency to do a job that is supposed to be already taken care of? Moreover, why does the economic recovery of American businesses and citizens have to take a back seat so the government can spend more money than it already does? Well, because President Bush says so, that’s why? And thanks to the 2002 off-year Republican revolution, Bush can basically do whatever he wants.
Actually, in a weird, sick kind of way it may be the best thing that could happen. Perhaps this will finally show the American people that Republicans are not to be believed. Maybe United States citizens will finally realize that politicians from the GOP really want the very same things that the tax-and-spend Democrats are always blatant about advocating. Is it possible that everyone that put their trust in a party that promises less government will come to the realization that the leader of that party has supported more government growth in the last two years than took place in the previous forty years combined? Will America finally wake up and see that a third alternative is necessary if they are ever to receive the things they actually vote for? One can only hope.
So you went to the polls and told the President you want a tax cut. You made it clear you want the beast Bureaucracy held in check. You gave President Bush everything he asked for in exchange for a promise that your voice would be heard. And the thanks you get is a message that you’ll just have to sit and wait. Maybe when the Republicans have grown the State sufficiently to repay with jobs all the political debts it has incurred over a long, electoral process, you will finally get what you actually voted for. We already know you will not get reduced government, but maybe this new crop of Congressional nursemaids will eventually get around to giving a little of your money back. However, this voter sees little reason for optimism.
So you say you want a tax cut? Well, America, I wouldn’t hold my breath. You may be in for a very long wait.
