Libertarian Party: Bush's Dirty Little Budget Secret

Libertarian Party press release ^ | February 5, 2003 | George Getz

[Commie Basher]

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NEWS FROM THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY
2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Suite 100
Washington DC 20037
World Wide Web: http://www.LP.org
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For release: February 5, 2003
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For additional information:
George Getz, Communications Director
Phone: (202) 333-0008 Ext. 222
E-Mail: pressreleases@hq.LP.org
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Bush's dirty little budget secret: $10 in new spending for every dollar in tax cuts, Libertarians say

WASHINGTON, DC -- If you think President Bush's tax cuts will save you money, guess again, Libertarians say, because the long-term spending increases in his new budget outnumber tax cuts by a ratio of 10 to 1.

"Showing gratitude for Bush's tax cuts is like thanking a pickpocket for returning $10 of the $100 he just stole," said Libertarian Party Chair Geoffrey Neale. "This budget proves that Bush and his Republican colleagues are nothing more than political pickpockets – and that the American people are their unwitting victims."

Bush presented Congress on Monday with a $2.23 trillion budget for fiscal 2004 that boosts federal spending by 4.2 percent overall while setting a record deficit and providing targeted tax cuts.

But Libertarians are warning Americans not to be distracted by Bush's tiny tax cuts – because they will be dwarfed by a massive increase in government spending over the next several years.

According to a budget analysis by the Cato Institute, Bush plans to increase federal outlays by $89 billion in 2004, $114 billion in 2005, and more than $100 billion in succeeding years, Neale noted.

"The bottom line is that federal spending would be $571 billion per year higher in 2008 than in 2003," he said. "By that point, Bush's tax cuts would be reducing federal revenue by just $50 billion annually – meaning long-term spending increases outnumber tax cuts 10 to 1.

"In plain English, something that is 'cut' is supposed to get smaller. But in Republicanese, 'tax cut' really means 'spending increase.' While some Americans will indeed get a small tax reduction now, they're going to pay for Bush's big-government agenda tomorrow, either through future tax hikes, more government borrowing, or both."

In fact, Bush's spending plans are so extravagant that he makes former President Bill Clinton look frugal by comparison, Neale noted.

"Clinton's 2000 budget called for spending $335 billion in fiscal 2004 on non-defense discretionary programs (excluding "entitlement" programs such as Medicare and Social Security)," he said. "But Bush is now calling for nearly $100 billion more than that: $429 billion."

The comparison gets even more stark when Bush's first three years in office are compared to Clinton's first three years, Neale pointed out.

"According to the Cato study, Bush has already expanded such domestic programs more than twice as much as Clinton did: 18 percent vs. 8.2 percent," he said. "It seems there really is a difference between Democrats and Republicans: Democrats brag about their big-government instincts, while Republicans lie about theirs."

But the budget trickery doesn't end with tax-cut shenanigans, Libertarians note.

"Remember how the president promised to 'save money' by consolidating dozens of federal agencies into one new, streamlined Department of Homeland Security?" Neale asked. "Bush's new budget provides a whopping $36.2 billion for the new bureaucracy, which is 7 percent more than had been spent on the agencies that were combined to create it."

Unfortunately for taxpayers, that's not all.

"Bush's projected budget deficit excludes hundreds of billions of dollars in unfunded liabilities, such as Social Security payments," he said. "The military budget is scheduled to grow by $15.3 billion – but mysteriously excludes money for the impending war on Iraq. And Bush's 'solution' to runaway Medicare spending involves squandering another $400 billion on it."

Maybe it's time for the American people to deliver their own budget message, Neale suggested: "Mr. President, please stop saving us so much money. We just can't afford it."

[weikel]

I wish the libertarians( and im philosophically a Randist I can't recall ever disagreeing except on a few very minor points with any article the objectivist center put out) would do two things 1) organize as a cacus or pressure group within the Republican party and not act as spoilers the way to nail the big government statist RINOs is by taking over the Republican apparatus and in the primaries 2) Get rid of the peaceniks, anarchist and antisemites.

Lately the libertarians( with the exception of the objectivists there a good consistent right wing group) have been acing like useful idiots for the radical left.

[Capitalism2003]

I honestly think the plan here is to spend the money...take a short term hit with the party faithful...continue reducing taxes...make all tax reductions permanent...spend a little $$ on entitlement programs to remove the issues from 04' elections...give the dems what they want...give them NOTHING to run on next year...take all of the issues away from them and...

Result: 2004
Democrats = NO ISSUES

Bush = VICTORY IN IRAQ...GROWING ECONOMY, PERMANENTLY LOWER TAX BRACKETS

Americans = HAPPY

Jan 2005...Bush re-election, GOP increases majority in both houses. All non military spending reduced 5-10% annually for the next 4 years. Vast majority of pointless subsidies/welfare programs ended...School vouchers legalized (and encouraged), social security privatization moves forward...We continue to reduce taxes and all non military spending across the board, month by month. As the burden is lifted from the American people...liberalism will be crushed once and for all.

The end.

At least, I HOPE that is what the agenda is.
Definately worth a short term spending spree.



At least, that SHOULD be the plan.

[Uncle Miltie]

I regret every dime I sent to Cato. One of their leadership was on the radio today after Powell's speech, decrying intervention in Iraq. He believes in containment.

Loser.

[Capitalism2003]

another side note..

2004--Libertarians realize they will never be a major party.

2005--Libertarians begin to run (and win) as Republicans.

2006--Libertarian Caucus formed within the Republican party...They push the GOP further to the right...eventually reducing taxes by 90% on every American.

2010--Average tax rate for Americans = 5%

--Government's only functions are roads, courts, and defense (maybe a library or two)

--America reaches 35 trillion dollar GDP.

--The only democrats left are in the history books

:)

[thegreatbeast]

No doubt this article and press event is skewed to a partisan purpose but that does not injure the truth of it. George Walker Bush is a very generous man. From the insurors of NYC to the education establishment (read teachers' unions read democratic party) to the airline industry to the AIDS industry, when Mr. Bush sees an outstretched palm his instinct is to fill it with billions of your dollars. Bush's attraction back in 2000 was that he was a republican who believed in smaller government and less taxes. That meant cutting the federal budget. What happened?

[Waco]

Don't worry about the tax cuts,,The states will will dream up to taxes to the $$$. Take any Fed. tax cut you can get. More and more libertarians seem to be libs. with a different kind of mental problem.

[LenS]

You're dreaming. Why? Because the core issue of no compromise for the Libertarian Party is drugs, just like abortion is the core no compromise issue for the Democrats. And drug legalization is not an acceptable issue for much of the Republican Party, especially the social conservatives. So Libertarians will continue to be a fringe party.

[Capitalism2003]

People don't understand...We CAN NOT SHRINK THE GOVERNMENT UNTIL WE GET 60 VOTES!!!

The dems can prevent anything and EVERYTHING the Republicans want to do until we have a filibuster-proof majority. No government programs will be cut...none...unless the Republicans are 100% united on these issues, AND 9 unless democrats are willing to break ranks and support our legislation. All of this spending...and any compromises we make between now and 2004 are simply to steal the issues...take away the issues the dems will be running on. I say, GO FOR IT! Pass a medicare drug benefit...pass increases in all of the pet programs of the demos...Do it THIS YEAR...Make the sacrifice. Take away all of their issues and trounce them next year! 60 votes will allow us to finally push the real...make some REAL reductions in government, and use the savings to provide even more tax relief to all Americans. The death of liberalism is in sight. We gotta think long term folks.

[weikel]

Were of the same mind on this.

[Capitalism2003]

glad I'm not the only one! ;)

[weikel]

Im not sure I agree about the Bush master plan to shrink government though. The people on the dole ain't ever gonna vote Republican Bush should have veto'd any entitlement spending its better to play hardball with the left then to appease. Giving the commies an inch is taken as a sign of weakness.

[Commie Basher]

I wish the libertarians ... would do two things 1) organize as a cacus or pressure group within the Republican party ... 2) Get rid of the peaceniks, anarchist and antisemites.

(1) You can't promote small govt and a war economny. "War is the health of the state." (2) The LP has a high percentage of Jews, as were/are many of its intellectual luminaries (Rothbard, Von Mises, Rand). It's not a party of antisemites, although it has many peaceniks and a few anarchists.

[Commie Basher]

And drug legalization is not an acceptable issue for much of the Republican Party, especially the social conservatives. So Libertarians will continue to be a fringe party.

That's too bad for the Republican establishment. Most Americans want legalized medical marijuana, and I believe most of us will live to see the loosening of all marijuana laws, medical and non-medical.

The drug war is lost, and increasingly numbers of Americans know it. And in time, the Demopublicans will rush to the head of the drug legalization crowd, and pretend they were always leading it.

[Commie Basher]

People don't understand...We CAN NOT SHRINK THE GOVERNMENT UNTIL WE GET 60 VOTES!!!

The GOP can do a hell of a lot more than it so far has, but it's always crying for still more power. The GOP is like that guy in Jesus' parable, who got some talents and did nothing with it. The GOP should quit whining and show some results with what it has, or it doesn't deserve any more talents.

[weikel]

War may be the health of a state but its a nessecary and legitimate function. Im sorry there are a lot of fanatic terrorist and commies who want to destroy the US who need killin. I wish there weren't but im a realist.

[Dane]

Most Americans want legalized medical marijuana, and I believe most of us will live to see the loosening of all marijuana laws, medical and non-medical.

The drug war is lost, and increasingly numbers of Americans know it.

Huh, the three major pro-pot state intiatives(Arizona, Nevada, and Ohio) on the ballot last November all went down to defeat.

[BUSHdude2000]

We CAN NOT SHRINK THE GOVERNMENT UNTIL WE GET 60 VOTES!!!

You're exactly right and we can thank the limpertarians in part for what is happening now. They got a demonrat elected in South Dakota by less than 500 votes when the limp got 3,000 votes and he even dropped out of the race becuase he knew he was going to lose (as all limpertarians do) yet his idiotic followers voted for him anyway "to make their point".

[BUSHdude2000]

1) organize as a cacus or pressure group within the Republican party and not act as spoilers the way to nail the big government statist RINOs is by taking over the Republican apparatus and in the primaries

Your concept is exactly right. These limps don't win elections and they will never be a major party. If they'll get involved within the Republican party at the very grassroots, at the precinct conventions, and work within that framework, they'll make a difference. Until then, their presidential candidate can keep getting 75 votes nationwide and calling it a "moral voctory".