Reduce Taxes, Size of Government, and National Debt

By Wayne Dunlap

The size of government (federal, state, and local) has risen tremendously. We can start reducing taxes and the size of government without increasing the national debt by applying well practiced principles to government with the following four point plan.

Tax reduction is one of Wayne Dunlap's top priorities. The economy suffers when government takes money from your paycheck that you would spend or invest for you and your family's future. Who knows what is best for you and your family + you or the government? Also, money spent in the private sector creates more jobs and prosperity.

What would you do with that extra money that you earned? Invest more for your retirement? Put your child in a better school? Buy better quality health care insurance? Start a new business? In an America with less government and taxes, the choice would be up to you.

Everyone seems to agree that government waste and pork barrel spending is rampant and it should be cut but our political process leads to too many compromises and reciprocal favors. Neither Republicans nor Democrats can bring it under control.

It is imperative that we cease the wasteful government spending and pare down the national debt. If we don't, we will place a massage burden on our children and grandchildren. We should expect our representatives in Washington to act with the national checkbook as we must do with our family checkbooks.

We can start reducing taxes and the size of government without increasing the national debt by applying well practiced principles to government with the following four point plan...

1) Initiate a pay-as-to-go policy. When a new government program is being proposed, funding to pay for the costs must be identified. Adding more government programs without funding increases our national debt that will burden our children and the success of our economy. Eliminating wasteful spending will be the target to fund any new program increasing government efficiency.

2) Employ top business consultants to evaluate government programs. Because of competition, businesses in America constantly need to evaluate staffing and other expenses to provide the best services at the most efficient cost. Practical lessons learned from business should be applied to government.

3) Adopt zero-based funding budgeting. Instead of automatically increasing funding of existing programs year after year for decades, every government program needs to justify its existence. Based on needs, not political favors, evaluation reports from independent business consultants should be used to determine the necessary funding level.

4) Eliminate redundant and outdated government programs and end the practice of earmark appropriations.

It is time to repeal any government tax or regulation that cuts the bottom rungs of the economic ladder and makes it more difficult for people to find jobs and start businesses.

By reducing wasteful government spending and excess regulation, we can lower taxes without increasing the national debt or sacrificing vital government services.