And now we find out just how hard it is going to be, politically, to deny money to people and programs who are now receiving tax dollars. Let's start with the state level. When Governor Perdue said it will take a tax increase to balance the state budget, which
is running in the red because of budgets he inherited, there was this great hue and cry saying that wasn't a very Republican approach to things; we ought to cut expenses first. So, Governor Perdue challenged the Legislature: okay, I'll go along with that. Here are some things I recommend we cut; now YOU give me some other state government activities we should trim. Immediately, there was a huge outpouring from all kinds of people saying: "You can't cut THAT." Special interest groups are now flooding the Legislature explaining to our Representatives and Senators just why Georgia will be absolutely ruined if the state does not fund this project or that one. If nothing else, we are finding a lot of interesting places where your tax money was being spent. "Cut somebody else's pork," these groups are insisting, "but mine is not pork. It is vital to the welfare of all Georgians."
The same thing is going on in Washington. Give you an example: the promoters of Amtrack say that government-sponsored railroad operation needs a billion dollars or so to begin operating in the black. But President Bush's budget doesn't include even as much as Amtrack got last year, let alone another billion. You won't believe the campaign the Amtrack backers have mounted, saying Amtrack will likely have to shut down if the government doesn't come up with the money they want. The same kind of campaigns are now under way from senior citizens, medicaid and medicare recipients, various minority groups, even the arts community.
It looks to me like we'll never cut government spending until some of us stand up and say: "let's cut spending, and you can START with my pet project."
This is Gordon Sawyer, and may the wind always be at your back.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2003/3/182276