'Pay As I Go' Pledge For All Elected Officials

'I wonder if I should run for Congress....'

We have beaten up on The Tax Pledge by Grover Norquist in the past just as we have beaten up on 'pledges' of most any kind in the political world.

Why?

Because the only oath that makes any sense is the one in the Constitution that says, and we quote:

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

'To the best of my ability' are the operative words here.

We don't live in a dictatorship, nor do we live in a pure democracy where simple majorities rule. The Founding Brothers (author Joseph Ellis' term) hated both of them; they saw great fault-lines over history in almost every case where they were tried and discarded for the 'next' best thing.

Winston Churchill said: "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for every other'. We would amend that to say 'Democratic Republicanism' is the worst form of government except for any other' since that more accurately describes American civil government.

But getting back to the oaths and pledges, we think there needs to be a new 'pledge' that the burgeoning majority of Independent and Unaffiliated voters can send to their elected officials and any candidate that will more adequately reflect their views that our government must operate in a sane, coherent manner unlike the totally insane way we have run the federal fisc over the past 13 years now for sure and the vast majority of years since 1965.

It used to be a decision between 'guns' and 'butter'. Now it is no decision...just buy more butter, go to war any time a president feels like it and borrow from the Chinese to pay for the imbalance. No more higher taxes on everyone to pay for any of it; that is passe thinking.

We think it can be different. We think it should be different.

And with Independents and Unaffiliateds soon to account for 41% of the official voting population of North Carolina at least in 2016 according to experts we know, we think the time is ripe for a new 'pledge' to be sent to and signed by every elected person and candidate which will more realistically express the view of these growing hordes of independent thinkers. (*NC is one of the few states where people can officially register as Unaffiliated)

Here's the 'pledge':

'I will not vote for any higher spending in any federal program without raising taxes or cut a similar amount in other programs to pay for it.

I will not vote for any tax cuts without cutting spending to pay for it.'

Call it the 'Pay As I Go' Tax and Spending Pledge. Or just plain common sense, truth be told.

I. Here's the insanity of the Tax Pledge by Grover Norquist for the Republicans:

Over time, it has given them a complete pass when it comes to making any substantive spending cuts that would lower deficits and the national debt purely by definition. Less spending is always part and parcel of any balanced budget.

Why has it given the GOP a complete pass? Because while they have been lulled into the fantasies that they are 'starving the beast' by denying needed revenue to pay for spending at the federal level, all they are really doing is 'increasing the debt' by not agreeing to any deal that might have a smidgen of tax hikes in it.

II. Here's the insanity of the 'Protect Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Public Education, Higher Education, Welfare, Environmental Protection, Transportation (insert favorite issue here) Pledge':

Over time, it gives mostly Democrats the cover to say to their constituents: 'I can't possibly vote for any reduction/change/reform/improvement in any social domestic program because I made a promise I would never do such a thing!'

And then, to top it off, they won't raise taxes on everyone to pay for the increases they always want in each of these programs!

It is a wonder of nature that the United States has not gone the way of Zimbabwe or Brazil or any of the other nations that couldn't manage their fisc or federal budget and then saw inflation and interest rates destroy their currencies and then their economies in short order.

We think every Independent registered voter should copy the afore-mentioned 'pledge' and send it to their congressman and senator in Washington and ask them to sign it and send it back to you as their 'promise' to balance the budget in our lifetimes once again.

They can't do it on their own. They will not do it on their own.

They WILL do it if 41% of their constituents who vote in their election and re-election sends them this 'pledge' and forces them to sign it and return it for safe-keeping.

It will mark a return to sanity, good judgement, adult leadership and a reduction of the idiotic public policy decisions our elective leaders have made with absolutely zero fiscal conservatism or balance in mind.

That in and of itself is reason enough to support it.

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