The Path to Prosperity

Democracy and Power 105:  The Politician seeks power

Their (Renaissance popes) three outstanding attitudes — obliviousness to the growing disaffection of constituents, primacy of self-aggrandizement, illusion of invulnerable status — are persistent aspects of folly. While in the case of the Renaissance popes, these were bred in and exaggerated by the surrounding culture, all are independent of time and recurrent in governorship.  

– Historian Barbara Tuchman

The Path to Prosperity 

Our budget cuts $6.2 trillion in spending from the president’s budget over the next 10 years and puts the nation on track to pay off our national debt.

America has a very serious debt crisis.  America’s government debt – federal, state and local – is 100% of GDP because of willful and wasteful past decisions by elected politicians. It is inevitable that major changes will occur.  The extreme situation would be catastrophic if America defaults on its debt.  Similar to the self-aggrandizing Popes of 16th Century, America’s politicians have an arrogance of invulnerable and are contemptuous of their constituents’ discontent.  Irresponsibly, President Obama and many Republicans and Democrats avoided discussing the crisis.  This is reprehensible and dangerous. 

Ryan stated the sad state of D.C. politics as reported by Jonathan Capehart of the Washington Post

Look, the facts are very, very clear. For too long, Washington has not been honest with the American people. Washington has been making empty promises to Americans from a government that is going broke. The nation’s fiscal trajectory is simply not sustainable. The debt is projected to grow to truly catastrophic levels in the near future, leading to an economic collapse and a diminished future. We don’t need clever politicians in Washington. We need real leadership and that is what we intend to provide.

The Renaissance Popes arrogantly disrespected their constituents, resulting in the Reformation, which spiritually and violently changed Europe.  Today, self-aggrandizing American politicians have wantonly created a debt crisis, which could catastrophically change monetary systems and societies in America and the entire world.  Fortunately, in a democracy, the arrogant politicians must listen to their constituents.  In fact, all politicians count how many constituents favor or oppose the politician’s vote.  Thus there is still an opportunity to make intelligent changes. 

Cut Spending:

As explained in a previous post, the American Enterprise Institute has studied many governments’ attempts to reduced debt and found that major spending cuts are indispensable. 

The data also clearly indicate that successful attempts to balance budgets rely almost entirely on reduced government expenditures, while unsuccessful ones rely heavily on tax increases.

Thoughtfully, Ryan has proposed spending cuts.  However, Dean Clancy of FreedomWorks correctly states the cuts must be greater.  Soon the House will vote on spending cuts:

The House will also have a chance to vote on an alternative, even better budget plan offered by the 177-member Republican Study Committee (RSC), the more fiscally conservative caucus within the Republican majority.  

  • The RSC budget would save $300 billion in the first year, $9.1 trillion over 10 years, and balance the budget in 10 years.  

The American people must support the Study Committee plan to cut spending.  Call your Members of Congress today.  It is very important for your future.  In fact, major spending cuts will positively reverberate throughout the world and for a couple of generations.