Issue Position: Cutting Government Waste

Issue Position

Issue Position: Cutting Government Waste

Government waste, fraud and abuse drive us deeper into debt and jeopardize our children's dreams by mortgaging our country's future. Each time a new federal program is created, a no-bid contract is awarded, or resources are squandered, it costs American taxpayers. As a nation we must understand we have to live within our means not just keep shoveling money out the door.

Both parties have forgotten who pays the bills for their ambitions. In Washington, I will fight wasteful government practices by demanding a good accounting of every federal program and every new dollar appropriated by the Congress. I will not support market manipulating subsidies or programs that promote government for government's sake. I will take the time to read the bills and budgets, trim the pork, and be there to vote against squandering our tax dollars.

I will also support the work done by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and that of the Inspectors General in each federal agency to combat government waste. But, we need to put a stop to silly investigations that play "gotcha" politics. It's time we dealt with real issues not just political ones.

The use of earmarks to acquire funds for a project is deceptive and too easily leads to waste. Some projects that have been funded by earmarks are worthwhile, but in the future Congress must debate these projects out in the open; we must do away with earmarks.

Government must serve the people not itself. Government is best when it is closest to the people in places like our local school boards, town councils, county commissions, and our citizen legislature. I will work tirelessly to rein in federal government and advance the role of local government where it is most accountable and responds best to the needs of its constituents.

We should not spend what we do not have or borrow beyond our ability to repay. We have got to stop asking future generations to pay for our excesses. We must stop using IOU's and borrowing from other nations. We have to get this nation back on a balanced budget.

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