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Party of Limited Government (Op-Ed by Roy Blunt, Candidate for Majority Leader)
Wall Street Journal ^ | January 19, 2006 | Representative Roy Blunt

Posted on 01/18/2006 10:27:47 PM PST by RWR8189

WASHINGTON--As readers of this page know all too well, excessive government regulation, taxation and spending strangle economic growth as frequently as runaway litigation and soaring health-care and energy costs do. What politicians say about these issues does not matter much, but what we do about them does. I'm proud of what House Republicans have accomplished on this front over the last several years, but I know that much remains to be done.

House Republicans have cut the tax rate on capital gains and dividends, substantially lowered personal tax rates, and set in motion a plan to eliminate the death tax once and for all. In just the past year we have reformed our bankruptcy laws, placed limits and restrictions on class-action lawsuits and--for the first time since 1997--passed reforms in mandatory spending programs to reduce the federal budget deficit. And after freezing regular domestic discretionary spending the year before, we enacted a real cut in spending this year.

House Republicans even enacted an energy bill that included reforms that helped us through the energy crisis after Hurricane Katrina. We have begun the long process of reforming our health care system by enacting one of the first elements of consumer-driven health care in the form of Health Savings Accounts.

alt

The House, led by a Republican majority, has acted to create an environment where our economy can grow. These policies have had a real effect on American families and businesses.

Just last month, the editors of The Wall Street Journal made special note of the impact the reduction in the tax rate on capital gains and dividends has had on the economy. In particular, the capital gains and dividends rate reductions

 

(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 109th; 109thcongress; blunt; gop; gopleadership; houseleadership; leadership; leadershipelection; limitedgovernment; majority; majorityleader; royblunt
From this series:

The Spirit of 1994 (Op-Ed by John Shadegg, Candidate for Majority Leader)

Keep Politics Kosher (House GOP needs a low-pork diet) [Op-Ed by John Boehner, Maj Leader Candidate]

1 posted on 01/18/2006 10:27:53 PM PST by RWR8189
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To: RWR8189
Shadegg says ----"Republicans promised the American people two things in 1994. First, we promised to rein in the size and scope of the federal government. Second, we promised to clean up Washington. In recent years, we have fallen short on both counts. Total federal spending has grown by 33% since 1995, in inflation-adjusted dollars. Worse, we have permitted some of the same backroom practices that flourished in the old Democrat-controlled House. Powerful members of Congress are able to insert provisions giving away millions--even tens of millions--of dollars in the dead of night.".

Blunt says ----"-----for the first time since 1997--passed reforms in mandatory spending programs to reduce the federal budget deficit. And after freezing regular domestic discretionary spending the year before, we enacted a real cut in spending this year".

Kosher says ------"Republicans need to prove to voters that our policies come directly from our principles. To rebuild trust in the institution and our commitment to governing, we need to recognize that most of the current ethical problems arise from one basic fact: Government is too big and controls too much money. If you want to dismantle the culture that produced an Abramoff or a Scanlon, you need to reform how Congress exerts power.

We must start by addressing the growing practice of unauthorized earmarks--language in spending bills that directs federal dollars to private entities for projects that are not tied to an existing federal program or purpose. The public knows the practice better by a different name--pork-barreling. Unauthorized earmarks squander taxpayer dollars and lack transparency. They feed public cynicism. They've been a driving force in the ongoing growth of our already gargantuan federal government, and a major factor in government's increasing detachment from the priorities of individual Americans. Earmarks have also fueled the growth of the lobbying industry. Entire firms have been built around the practice. As more entities circumvent the normal competitive process, confidence in the system erodes, encouraging others to take the same shortcuts."

2 posted on 01/18/2006 10:58:30 PM PST by malia (The Impeached x42 clinton - a Paper Tiger President! MSM - bottom feeders! What a team!!!!)
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To: malia
They all sound good to me, hope they are aggressive.
3 posted on 01/18/2006 11:06:18 PM PST by bybybill (GOD help us if the Rats win)
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To: bybybill
Course they all sound good. That's because they know what's right and what we want to hear. They only forget when they're actually legislating. Sigh...
4 posted on 01/18/2006 11:08:18 PM PST by Still Thinking (Disregard the law of unintended consequences at your own risk.)
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To: malia
"we enacted a real cut in spending this year". "

They did no such thing. This years budget is larger than last years budget.

The only place on Earth that could be called a 'cut' is in the US Congress.

L

5 posted on 01/18/2006 11:10:47 PM PST by Lurker (You don't let a pack of wolves into the house just because they're related to the family dog.)
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To: Lurker

I agree - thought it interesting to see each of their comments ---- together.


6 posted on 01/18/2006 11:17:04 PM PST by malia (The Impeached x42 clinton - a Paper Tiger President! MSM - bottom feeders! What a team!!!!)
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To: malia

My mistake -- John Boehner authored the "Kosher" quote. Sorry!


7 posted on 01/18/2006 11:29:32 PM PST by malia (The Impeached x42 clinton - a Paper Tiger President! MSM - bottom feeders! What a team!!!!)
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To: Still Thinking

When they are all legislating it is our job to keep their feet to the fire. That`s the hard part.


8 posted on 01/18/2006 11:38:22 PM PST by bybybill (GOD help us if the Rats win)
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To: malia
The public knows the practice better by a different name--pork-barreling. Unauthorized earmarks


HA .... it's called pork if the money goes to someone else. ...
BUT ...and thats a BIG BUT .... when the money is coming to your town it suddenly becomes a prudent use of public funds.

We should change the terms we use . After all welfare is welfare . .... Grants ? what the heck is that ? Stolen money is stolen money.
9 posted on 01/19/2006 1:15:44 AM PST by THEUPMAN
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To: malia
Then John Boehner is a liar (see #5).
10 posted on 01/19/2006 1:44:23 AM PST by axxmann
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To: axxmann

Sorry, I meant Blunt is a liar. Spending was not cut.


11 posted on 01/19/2006 1:45:26 AM PST by axxmann
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To: axxmann

Yeah, Blunt seems to be the status quo candidate to me.
I would prefer either of the other two as they seem to have some fire in the belly for fast tracking the conservative agenda. standing pat will not help, in fact it's gonna hurt.


12 posted on 01/19/2006 3:29:00 AM PST by ottersnot ( You can't spell Liberal without L, I, E.)
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To: RWR8189

Anyone who voted for Medicare Part D is not an advocate of limited government. Limited government doesn't simply mean "spend less", it means that there are limits on the powers of the government. Where is Medicare Part D among the 18 enumerated powers of the federal government, Congressman Blunt?


13 posted on 01/19/2006 4:09:31 AM PST by oblomov (Join the FR Folding@Home Team (#36120) keyword: folding@home)
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To: RWR8189

>>>Party of Limited Government<<<

Oh, you must mean the Libertarian Party... because I KNOW you're not talking about the Republicans in power today.


14 posted on 01/19/2006 6:11:37 AM PST by snowrip (Liberal? YOU HAVE NO RATIONAL ARGUMENT. Actually, you lack even a legitimate excuse.)
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To: ottersnot

From what it sounds like though, Blunt already has the votes locked up for this race. Shadegg and Boehner may just be using this platform to get their ideas out there at this point.


15 posted on 01/19/2006 9:49:31 AM PST by Pop Fly
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