Tax Cuts Immoral?
by Tim Holloway

As reported recently by the Columbus Dispatch, Sen. George Voinovich has weighed in with his opposition to extending the Bush tax cuts. According to the Columbus Dispatch, Voinovich said, "It's time to put the tax-cut medicine back on the shelf." The Dispatch also reports that Voinovich added it would "be immoral to bequeath trillions of dollars of debt to our children and grandchildren."

For conservatives, this is just another of a laundry list of complaints to be levied against Voinovich. But more importantly, it is just another indicator of the real problem plaguing this nation. Voters are too often left with a choice between tax and spend Democrats or deficit and spend Republicans. There are too few elected officials seeking to limit the size, scope and function of government and to rein in irresponsible federal spending.

The fact is, the Republicans and Democrats are playing a dangerous game of chicken when it comes to federal spending. The two parties are careening toward one another at break neck speed with our children and grandchildren in the back seat. Both are afraid to change course and avoid the catastrophic collision for fear they may lose the next election. Depending on which numbers you examine, if things don't change, this collision will occur before we reach the mid-point of this century. Federal spending in general and entitlement spending in particular, risk leaving this nation and its economy in a shambles. With each passing day that these issues remain unaddressed, the sacrifices necessary become greater and threaten to impact even more Americans.

So who is to blame and how do we fix it? First, all of us are to blame. For too long we have pledged blind allegiance to party even when the party acts against our short and long term best interests. Second, we fix this problem by working together, united in principle and purpose, to restore responsible governance by our elected officials.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, then Majority Leader Tom DeLay said there was no room for spending cuts to offset the Katrina relief package. But it was the Republican Study Committee, a caucus of conservatives united in principle and purpose that were able to force the House GOP into agreement on spending cuts to offset the relief package.

Grassroots conservatives can have this same effect as well. This year's Senate race in Ohio offers that opportunity. If conservatives unite behind one of Mike DeWine's challengers in the Republican primary we too can send a strong message that our days of blind loyalty to party are over.

In 1964 Ronald Reagan pointed out it was a time for choosing and so it is again today. Will you leave the fate of this nation and your children and grandchildren to the party or will you take the time to tell your elected officials and the GOP at every level that enough is enough and it is time for a change.

Tim Holloway is the Executive Director of the BattleGround PAC, an organization of grassroots conservatives found at www.battlegroundpac.com

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