As we approach the national voting cycle, we can look back and learn from the past two years. We’ve seen the middle class rise up; the formulation of the Tea Party, and the election of great grass root politicians. That isn’t to say that some career politicians haven’t been re-elected. Some have because of their history of (to be redundant) representing those who voted for them.
Polling indicates there is there is still a great deal of angst within the voter ranks. The economy continues to be the primary concern around the nation. Exacerbating that concern is the insistence of politicians to raise taxes, add fees, and scavenge the slim-pickings the economy continues to provide in spite of their mismanagement. This trepidation is affecting elections on all levels.
Most Americans (53%) understand that the practice of cutting taxes and government spending is the correct way to improve the U.S. economy. In the 1980s’ this approach was castigated based on emotional rhetoric. Rhetoric that failed to sway public opinion. The principles’ successes just couldn’t be refuted. Given the successful history of “supply-side” economics, the voters once again know more than the politicians.
The Presidents who used supply-side were Calvin Coolidge, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and George W. Bush. Bill Clinton was also a supply sider, but he targetted the middle class as the recipients; a decision that ultimately slowed economic growth.
Important to remember is the Reagan plan was to cut excessive spending and reduce taxes simultaneously. The Democrat lead Congress refused to allow Reagan to inact his campaign promise until Reagan addressed the nation and encouraged citizens to “call their Representatives and Senators”. After Americans made those calls, the Congressional Democrats agreed to cut the taxes with the agreement to temporarily raise agency spending levels, with the understanding they would use that influx to “get their houses in order” so they could run “leaner”. At the end of the agreed upon time frame, the Democrats then protested over the cuts- including the infusions to improve the agencies’ processes. The very cuts they’d proposed as part of the agreement made with Reagan.
Still tax revenues nearly doubled. Those revenues would have accumulated faster had Reagan been able to cut spending in a substantial measure. The bottom line would have been improved in the Bush 41 Presidency had the government not had to bail out the Savings and Loans across the nation. One could conject that- had the spending cuts been enacted as promised, the S&L bailout would have been a deficit-neutral expense.
“Supply-side” does work when it targets those who use their money to make money. The problem of course, is that politicians want to spend it just as soon as it’s projected- they won’t even wait until it arrives. Our suspicion is they want to get to the money first for their pet projects- all at the expense of the tax payers!
Moving forward, for Republicans to differentiate themselves from the Democrats; they must offer supply-side oriented candidates. This was the root-cause of the GOP prominence in the latter part of the 20th century- this is their strength. Those principles should be presented- and represented without apology or timidity. Republicans must return to their roots if they are to keep their base- and rebuild what they’ve lost since deviating from them.
Local politicians must become the ground-swell for that movement. Mayors, County Commissioners, City Councilmen: all have the responsibility to return their communities to the principles and practices that rescued our nation from the Jimmy Carter debacle of the 1970’s. The way to accomplish this is to return community, county and state economies to those principles that have proven themselves to be most effective. That means governing boards must bring in supply-side experts to examine the economic situation of their budgetary responsibilities, apply supply-side principles; and free up the revenue within their given communities. Failure to do this will cause more than their political demise or damage the GOP: It will contribute to the fiscal destruction of our nation.
Our message to our Representatives is “Get on board”. Your failure to do so will contribute to the fiscal demise of our Nation. Patriotism demands it.
