Posted by
Peter V. Bella on Saturday, November 18, 2006 6:18:32 PM
The political focus on the GOP must shift and focus on the 2008 election. The shift must happen now. Republicans can turn things around quickly if they focus on bringing about meaningful and substantive reforms and hold the Democrats feet to the fire every time they slip into ethical lapses and corruption. It will happen. History always repeats itself for the Democrats. The Republicans should take the lead in ethics reform and the elimination of corruption.
First, and foremost, they must concentrate on economics. Ronald Reagan proved this in 1980. In six years, he turned the country around. We went from a 21 percent prime interest rate and inflation rate rising at 25 percent a year to a total reversal. Unemployment and interest rates began to fall, incomes rose, and growth soared, and tens of millions of new jobs were created.
The GOP went one better in 1994. Their contract with America cut taxes and spending. An economic boom was created. Deficits were turned into surpluses. The GOP focused on real, substantive issues that affected every American, not just a minority.
Welfare programs were reformed under the GOP as were other entitlements and subsidies with no harm done. People actually went to work. Other entities on the dole found that they could operate better and more efficiently without government subsidies and entitlements.
The GOP must propose and implement pro-growth tax reform. Our current tax system is abysmal. It is too complex, regressive, and oppressive. The Estate Tax and the Capital Gains tax must go. Income tax rates should be lowered further and filing taxes should be made easier. The GAAP- generally accepted accounting procedures- are ludicrous for employed people. Why should workers be held to the same accounting standards- standards they are not educated in- as their employers? Filing should be simplified. A flat tax would be the best, but the Democrats, the tax preparers and the accountants would fight this tooth and nail.
Next, the explosion in entitlements has to be curtailed. Entitlements are what almost bankrupted the Nation in the past. We are still reeling and paying the price of the Democratic drunken spending spree started under FDR and put into high gear under LBJ. There can be no compromise here. These programs must be cut or refashioned. The determining factor is whether they are popular and expedient- read wasteful, or they are effective and productive.
Cutting government spending, pursuing free markets and free enterprise, and cutting, eliminating, and reforming taxes is the only way the GOP will win. They have to show that the American public will be the real winners here. We will have more and better jobs, earn more money to spend, save, invest, or waste, as we so choose, and live in a financial secure environment.
It is all about the money after all. OUR MONEY.