TAX FREEDOM DAY
Did you pay your taxes by today? If not, you may be looking at stiff penalties. But Americans are already penalized by a tax burdon that is way too large. The size and scope of government at every level is too high. This year, Tax Freedom Day is April 26, 2006 — so you actually have another week 
and half before we reach this symbolic point of the year. What is the symbolism of this day? The Tax Foundation computes all of the money that you pay in taxes (income tax, sales tax, etc.) and they figure out what percentage of your annual income it takes to pay your burdon. The dates moves around as you can see by the graph. That said, our Republican President and Republicans in the United States Senate and House of Representatives can ask themselves today, and on April 26th why, with GOP ‘control’ of the federal government, Tax Freedom day isn’t sometime in late February or early March…
ROACH v. BILBRAY? FUTURE v. THE PAST
Since I wrote my apparently-controversial column last week, suggesting that perhaps businessman Eric Roach should run a vigorous campaign in the GOP primary for the full two-year term in the 50th Congressional District, I have certainly received a lot of feedback. I’ve talked to several members of Congress and Party leaders, been in communication with both Roach and Bilbray, and got to have a pleasant chat with the San Diego Union Tribune reporter who has done a great job covering the antics of the 50th.
My argument remains the same. Which is that the Republican Party nationally has a huge problem. And that is that the rhetoric that we have espoused to achieve our titular majorities in Congress, and the White House, is significantly disconnected from the reality of our acheivements. Case in point is that we continue to tell everyone that the Republican Party stands for limited government, lower taxes and lower spending. Yet with full GOP "control" of the government apparatus inside of the beltway, the federal government is larger than ever, taxes are higher than ever, and spending is greater than ever.
I agree completely with something that Brian Bilbray told me yesterday when we spoke on the phone — which is that we all need to be concerned about the size of government not just because of the dollars involved, but because philosophically the federal government’s role is just too large. That said, government has just grown-and-grown, including during Mr. Bilbray’s tenure in Congress. Bilbray passionately defends the ‘class of 1994’ which propelled Newt Gingrich into the Speakership. Yet, this group of Congressional veterans has had literally no impact on shrinking the size of government. As I have said, the government is significantly bigger today for all of their efforts.
I encourage you to read through this Heritage Foundation Study, although if you are a conservative, it may ruin your weekend.
At some point, every Republican is going to acknowledge that merely electing a majority who choose to affiliate with your party is not a victory. Republicans needs a governing majority of party members who believe in, and are committed to the GOP platform. We don’t have that now, which is why EVERY House race that comes up is an opportunity to wage the battle and send a patriot to Washington, D.C. who understands that the really enemy to the Republican Party is not the Democrat minority, but the liberal Republicans who make a mockery of our Republican majority by stopped us from fulfilling our promises to limit the size and scope of the federal government.
GUEST WORKER PROGRAM = AMNESTY
What is "amnesty" when it comes to the national debate on illegal immigration? I’ve had a few conversations with folks in the last couple of weeks, and there seems to be some subjectivity being used in defining this term. So let me just throw out there my position….
First of all, Answers.com defines amnesty as, "A general pardon granted by a government, especially for political offenses."
Second of all, the offense that has been committed by every illegal resident of the United States is the same – criminal entry into this country without permission.
Therefore, the definition of amnesty is really straight forward — any proposal that grants to those who committed criminal entry into the United States a legal avenue for remaining here is amnesty.
Some have been saying that ‘amnesty’ means granting citizenship to those who came here illegally — and that would certainly be the most extreme type of amnesty. But it is smoke and mirrors to say that you support a guest worker program but oppose amnesty – they are one and the same.
It is okay within this public policy debate to say that you support some form of amnesty for illegal residents — after all, people who have snuck into the United States in the past have historically been granted amnesty. But please don’t make the debate even more complicated by obscuring positions by the mis-use of labels.
UPCOMING BUSH VISIT
It seems like all week long, there have been stories in the paper in advance of an upcoming visit by President Bush to California – and the visit isn’t until the end of next week. In a world of instant news, and what is happening "now" — it is bizarre to read about a Presidential visit that is, in reality, a lifetime away in terms of news cycles. Of course, the reason for all of this pre-visit coverage is that Bush really doesn’t visit the Golden State that much, as compared to say Bill Clinton. Then again, politics makes policy, and it is certainly the case that except for the ‘cashectomy’ performed on California GOP donors to finance Bush victories in other states, its not like California ever factored into Bush’s electoral college successes. Nevertheless, I think I might actually be tired of covering the President’s visit before be makes it. Especially when you factor in how tired I am of covering Arnold Schwarzenegger’s commitment to raising the cost of living for Californians in a unilateral California-only battle against greenhouse gas emissions. One of the items on the schedule for the POTUS is an "Earth Day" event with the Governor. Joy
Care to read comments, or make your own about today’s Daily Commentary?
Just click here to go to the FR Weblog, where this Commentary has its own blog post, and where you can read and make comments.