Every time I suggest a potential budget cut, someone from the big-government side of the equation inevitably says something like, “But Chuck, that’s only $5 million.” Or, “But Chuck, that’s only $2 million.” Or, “But Chuck, that’s only $7 million.”
“Only.”
As the saying goes, a million here and a million there and pretty soon it starts to add up to real money. In fact, that’s exactly how we got to our current $7 billion budget.
“But Chuck, it’s only $6 million for a new Legislative Counsel Building.” “But Chuck, it’s only $1 million for a children’s museum.” “But Chuck, it’s only $1 million for the Ready for Life through Project Learn program.” “But Chuck, it’s only $365,000 to promote citizen volunteerism.” “But Chuck, it’s only a quarter-million dollars for the Saltman Center for Conflict Resolution.” “But Chuck, it’s only $5 million for stream habitat restoration.”
But Chuck, my butt. This stuff ADDS UP!
Our budget didn’t start out at zero in 2007 and then came up with $7 billion worth of new government spending. No, we took the budget from 2003 and the Legislature added a “little” more to it. Then in 2005 they added a “little” more. And again in 2007, they added a “little” more. And…viola! $7 billion.
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
How do you cut a gargantuan government budget. One cut at a time.
Let the cutting begin.
Posted on April 12th, 2008 by Chuck Muth
Filed under: Nevada
Some people complain that the war in Iraq is taking too long. Well there is a war that has been going on for more than 65 years. I am talking about WW II. Income tax withholding was instituted by FDR to pay for WW II. We still have income tax withholding so the war must still be going on. If you think otherwise, have your withholding or estimated tax underpayed and see what happens. If the law mandating income tax withholding was repealed how many people would finally realize what FDR and his communist friends cost us. But the morons who proudly brag about how much money they are getting back from the government would be upset.
Howard,
Cheyenne, WY
Well, Howard, you are right! Twice before FDR instituted a tax to pay for a war, the Republican run Congress instituted an income tax….once to pay for the Civil War and then later due to the depression of 1890. Both taxes expired. Hooray!
I, too, hate the “commuist friends” of FDR that have run Washington D.C. since 2000 and who maintained the income tax. Damn them, damn them to electoral hell!
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