Richard,
As a Republican, maybe you can explain to me and other voters Bob Dole's plan for his administration. His plans for the Administration of the 21st Century makes absolutely no sense to me.
15% tax cut and balance budget: Reagan tried to cut taxes to spur investment. Did it work? Americans have shown in the past and continue to show that they do not have the propensity to save. Without additional savings, where will the private sector borrow additional capital to invest? Without additional investments, where will faster economic growth come from to pay for the tax cut and help finance the budget? Bob promises to balance the budget in six years. I have never taken a poli sci course while at Berkeley, but this smells fishy. He wants me and everyone to get him a two term committment. No way! If he is so sure of himself, he has to promise everyone he will do it in four years. Else, his ass is gone. Bob's tax cut, "Niagra Falls", is only going to give us higher inflation.
Increase spending in the military: Why? How with the tax cut? How if he wants to balance the budget? This is one of my favorite lines from the book Closing Times--the sequel to Catch 22 by Joseph Heller. "All of us are in the race of the century to come up with the ultimate weapon that could lead to the end of the world and bring everlasting fame to the victor who uses it first." Is this what Bob wants to do if he is elected? Look what Reagan did with massive spending on the military during the 80's? It is costing us even more money now to reduce and get rid of those useless programs. We don't need more spending on the military.
More growth: What is wrong with the current growth rate of the economy? We are enjoying 4%+ growth with no inflation. Even the Tresary recently committment that it likes and prefers the current "slow" growth. And besides, is a 7%+ growth rate feasible and attainable? The FED and Greenspan hate inflation. How is Bob going convince the FED and Greenspan inflation is good? Any growth and inflation rates above the current levels would trigger Greenspan to increase the interest rate, and hopes of 7%+ economic growth gone.
I could go on, but it would only show how Bob makes no sense. He will not reduce the budget deficit and in fact just repeat what Reagan did if he is elected. Al Gore said it best about Bob's scheme, "The problem with their version of Niagra Falls is that you put the American economy in a barrel and let it go over the falls".
But don't take my words. This is what Bob's top economic advisor from Stanford had to say about Bob's plan when interviewed by a columnist from the San Francisco Chronicles recently. The columnist asked the advisor how is Bob going to balance the budget? The advisor replied that cuts will have to be made. But there are three "untouchables"--military (actually increase spending), social security, and medicare. He saids the first area they have to cut is government payroll--a 10% cut. That has got to be a joke. Who in Congress is going to take a pay cut so Bob can balance the budget? Bob can cut all of Education and the deficit would not get healthier much less a 10% cut in governmnet pay. Maybe Bob needs a new set of economic advisors from Berkeley. Not that I have a thing against Stanford, but we are going to kick their ass in the Big Game! Did you know that Stanford's number for football tickets is 1-800-BE-AT-CAL? (:o)
On Tuesday, voters should vote for the candidate who has the best ideas, intentions, etc for the American economy in the upcoming administration. Don't be blinded by the 15% tax cut across the board Bob Dole preaches. The government has a budget to pay for so many programs. When the budget shrinks, cuts will have to be made. And when those cuts hit some of us, we would then realize the 15% tax cut is really a castle in the sky.
One man's view.
KC |
