We need to use common sense when making spending decisions for the American people.  But Congress is not!

• Congress passed TARP – the Toxic Asset Relief Plan, which authorizes the purchase or guarantee of up to $700 Billion in subprime mortgages and their derivatives.  But the funds have been used for just about everything except the purchase of these troubled assets! Bank bailouts, loans to GM and Chrysler and reviving consumer lending have all been funded through this bill despite the fact that these uses were never originally authorized or intended.
• Congress passed a $787 billion stimulus plan without reading it!  We were told it needed to be passed overnight, yet eight months later only 14% of the funds have been dispersed.  It is now obvious that the false urgency to pass this bill had much more to do with avoiding a review of its contents and much less to do with rescuing the economy.
• The economy is recovering even though only 14% of the stimulus plan has been spent.  Why spend the rest?
• Federal Spending is out of control.  The national debt has been quadrupled in less than a year…from $1 trillion to $4 trillion!
• Our government is printing the money it is spending. Monetizing the deficit this way could very easily lead to hyperinflation and loss of confidence in the U.S. in credit markets.

1. Freeze federal spending, stop monetizing the deficit and reduce the national debt.  Any new expenditure must specify its funding source and may not add to the federal deficit.
2. Insure a strong, unhindered economy. We need a vibrant, robust economy so the federal budget can be balanced, the national debt and associated interest can be reduced and American workers can get back to work.  All other national decisions (health care, taxation, energy, education, trade) need to be made with the goal of creating and maintaining a strong economy.
3. Balance the budget. Americans are very smart and know that when looking at their own personal finances they have to balance the household budget and live within their means or risk financial ruin.  Why doesn’t Congress get it?  Common sense tells us to balance the budget!