By Jim Babka
Quotable: Even if you believe these local reps are your allies, you must remember that the incentives of their job demand that they do the absolute minimum required to satisfy you.
We’ve received some feedback to today’s Tax Day, Downsizer-Dispatch titled, “What do you think of Obama’s tax proposals?”
This piece was strongly worded — more so than 99% of the messages we’ve written over the years. The author, Perry Willis . . .
* labeled the desire to increase taxes, even on the rich as, “greedy, evil, and stupid”
* called Congress and the President “lying gangsters”
* accused them of lying about the recent budget cuts
* said they couldn’t be trusted
And while Perry Willis was the author, I approved the sending of this message. Please let me explain why.
1) There might be 15 districts (out of 435) in the country where the representative is even half-way committed to smaller government. We could quibble about the number. But this message went out to the entire country.
Every DC Downsizer can edit the sample letter we provide, and they SHOULD. We provide the sample for your convenience. But putting your message in your own words has more distinct power, than copying & pasting.
We provide something to copy & paste because it has way more power than nothing.
2) The GOP lied. I think there’s a lack of concern and candor, where indignation is sorely needed. To wit…
A) There’s a difference between a budget cut and overall outlays. I’ll give you more detail in a second, but for this first point, just know that the budget doesn’t include everything. It’s a planning document that is routinely cast aside or worked around.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, the total budget cut was actually just over $300 million, not $38.5 billion. The rest was smoke and mirrors (as we explained on both Thursday and Friday).
Even if your local congressman claims the Tea Party mantle, I’ll bet you that he or she will come home and tell their constituents that they made $38.5 billion in “courageous cuts.”
Is that honest? Wait, there’s more bad news!
B) Keep in mind that there’s a difference between the budget and the outlays. Outlays are the total of all government transfers (all forms of payments out) plus all interest necessary to liquidate obligations. The federal government outlays are more than $172 billion over 2010 levels.
At this point, 38.5 billion ounces of courage becomes a farce. When do we call them on it? We want them to return home knowing that it won’t sell. We want them, instead, to start doing the right thing — especially if we see them as potential allies.
After all, if potential allies won’t do the right thing, who will? Their even more Statist opponents? Are you likely to vote for that partisan opponent? It’s always our allies that most need to hear our indignation. And . . .
DON’T FORGET: Even if you believe these local reps are your allies, you must remember that the incentives of their job demand that they do the absolute minimum required to satisfy you.
You can determine how hot your communication needs to be. Just be sure your “representative” gets enough heat to see the light!