As political columnist Jon Ralston noted last week, I’ve been advocating for a Nevada version of Ronald Reagan’s “Grace Commission” almost since the day I came out of the womb. The Grace Commission was charged by Reagan in the early 1980s with the task of going through the federal budget to find waste, fraud, abuse and other areas where federal government spending could be cut or streamlined.
Done right, a similar commission chartered by Gov. Jim Gibbons - as he announced last week on Sam Shad’s “Nevada Newsmakers” program - could and would do wonders for Nevada’s fiscal future. Of course, the operative words here are “done right.” And already there are troubling signs that this idea is wandering off course.
Keep in mind, the purpose of this commission is to recommend cuts in government spending and government programs. Cuts. Not increases. Cuts. As in, make smaller. Not in “limiting the growth.” Or growing exponentially. Cuts.
Nevertheless, some folks are already saying the commission has to be “bi-partisan.” That it has to be “diverse.” That it has to include folks representing government employees and the unions.
No, it doesn’t. And it shouldn’t.
The only criteria for being on a commission charged with making recommendations for cutting government should be a predisposition toward, passion for and record of favoring cutting government. If you can identify a Democrat who fits that description … fine. Good luck. And while you’re at it, see if you can find that that leprechaun with the pot of gold.
There is absolutely no reason to have Democrats on the commission simply for the sake of being able to call it “bi-partisan.” Instead, were I put in charge of naming people to a “Muth Commission” to review and make recommendations for cutting government, I’d consider folks such as:
Former state Sen. Sue Lowden, former state Sen. Ann O’Connell, former state Sen. Sandra Tiffany, former Congresswoman Barbara Vucanovich, State Sen. Bob Beers, Assemblyman Ty Cobb, Nevada Policy Research Institute director Steve Miller, former Assembly candidate James Dan, former Nevada Libertarian Party Chairman Terry Savage, former Assemblywoman Sharron Angle, attorney Craig Mueller and former state Treasurer candidate Mark DeStefano.
Give those folks a meat cleaver and a dump truck full of red pens and let ‘em have at it. And not just one department at a time. The whole shebang. Then taxpayers would get a true look at just what is possible as far as the state budget is concerned and exactly how big of a tax cut they could enjoy simply by limiting government to its legitimate purposes.
I remember when I suggested a Nevada “Grace Commission” to former Gov. Kenny Guinn a number of years ago, I recommended that Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist Vin Suprynowicz be tapped to chair it. To which the governor jokingly responded, “Geez, Chuck, then we wouldn’t have any government at all.”
While a bit of an exaggeration - although if you know Vin, just a bit - that’s exactly the point. A serious conversation about the proper role of government and how to fund those legitimate functions of government is long overdue. If such a commission is watered down for political purposes in a misguided attempt to make it “diverse” and “bi-partisan,” then there’s no sense in doing it at all. You may as well leave it up to our current Legislature. And I think we all know where that would go.
When it’s time to put together a tax-hiking commission, THEN we put Democrats on it. Otherwise, if you want to do a Nevada “Grace Commission” correctly, you put nothing but fiscal T-Rex’s on it. So let it be written; so let it be done.
Posted on March 14th, 2008 by Chuck Muth
Filed under: Nevada
Every time I drive past the back side of our state capitol I wince to see that the “Nevada Hispanic Services” facility is still open.
We do not need to prop up and help people who claim a privileged status based on race or national origin, too often due to their illegal arrival here.
Come to think of it, isn’t such discrimination supposed to be illegal?
Do we have a “Nevada WASP Services” division, “Nevada African-American Services”, “Nevada Italian-American Services” division?
No, we don’t!
I do not know what the budget for this organization is, but I do know the agency should be closed, our LEGAL “hispanics” have access to all the same help as any other Nevada citizens.
Our illicit “hispanic” population should not be encouraged to stay here via taxpayer funding.
I am sure many other readers here can make more suggestions, perhaps the proposed “Grace Commission” can be rendered moot if enough of us speak up promptly.
Chuck,
I just wanted to tell you that you have another ally for the Grace style commission in Nevada. In fact, it is a core principal for my Assembly Candidacy (D17).
I am running on the principles of improving our schools, modernizing and improving our roads and highways and doing these things without new taxes.
With the proper allocation of exisiting taxes and revenue along with cutting of pork projects and wasteful spending, I believe we can not only do all these things but also balance the budget and have a surplus to creat a true rainy day fund for good programs such as the Millineum Scholorship or creation of a citizen based neighborhood watch/enforcement program to free up the police to fight real crime.
Feel free to contact me when you have some time. I would love to discuss this with you more as well as sharing other ideas that can benefit all.
Sincerely,
Glen