Like clockwork, the national debt hit an unprecedented $16 trillion just as the Democrats were preparing to begin the formality of nominating Barack Obama for a second term last week.
There were certainly references to the debt bomb during the Republican-convention speech-making. But I don't think anyone, save possibly Sen. Rand Paul, really impressed upon the national audience just how destabilizing Obama's most notable "achievement" truly is for the country's future.
The ratio of U.S. debt to gross domestic product is equivalent to Greece's – and we all know how that economy is failing.
To say Obama's plan to keep on borrowing more than $1 trillion a year is "unsustainable" is an understatement. But still the Democrats are more worried about the phantom crisis of "climate change" than financial collapse.
What's more troublesome than the foolishness and irresponsibility of the Democrats is the position of most Republicans – that we need to continue borrowing more than a $1 trillion a year until we can start growing the economy to pay down the debt.
TRENDING: To DEI for
Not even vice-presidential nominee Paul Ryan, decried by Democrats as a fiendish conservative, pretends there is another option – dramatically reducing spending immediately.
No matter what happens with the November election, America is going to continue having a debt crisis unless adequate pressure is applied to Republicans to slash the size of government by at least $1 trillion a year.
There's no point in even discussing the matter with Democrats, who actually embrace unlimited borrowing and unlimited government.
I believe chances are good that Republicans will not only win the presidency, but pick up the Senate and strengthen their control over the House this fall. But the last thing we can afford is for Republicans to think Washington can continue to do business as usual and solve the debt crisis merely by growing the economy.
The fundamental problem with debt is that it allows government to continue to grow – and we've got to convince Republicans the political climate is right to actually reduce its size and scope and its intrusion over state sovereignty and individual liberties.
How do we do that?
With real political pressure that begins right now.
Since early 2011, I've been conducting a campaign that provides that kind of pressure from the right.
It's called the "No More Red Ink" campaign.
The campaign has generated more than 1 million letters to House Republicans to remind them why we sent them to Washington – and the promises they campaigned on to get there.
The dirty little secret you will never learn from the establishment press is that House Republicans and House Republicans alone could have, with a single negative vote, accomplished a miracle between Jan. 20, 2011, and today simply by refusing to raise the debt limit. Not only could they have stopped borrowing cold, they could have returned Washington to an era of limited government overnight – denying Barack Obama the funds he needs to pay for Obamacare and all of his other spending initiatives, and forcing him to start closing down useless and unconstitutional and counterproductive federal programs and departments.
And, since we are about to hit the debt limit once again, it's a good time to remind everyone – especially the Republican leadership in the House.
House Speaker John Boehner would never take such a courageous stand on his own. He will have to be dragged kicking and screaming to this position by pressure from his own caucus.
The key question Republicans need to be confronted with through the campaign is this: Do you really believe in limited constitutional government?
If you do, what's wrong with starting right now – today?
Why did Republicans strip from their platform a plank that called for the dismantling of the Department of Education? It's not even a campaign promise any more. That sounds like business as usual in Washington to me no matter who wins.
If you think constitutionally limited government is something worth fighting for, I urge you to join me in supporting the "No More Red Ink" campaign to pressure Republicans – who say they believe in it – to actually use their power to achieve it.
With the debt hitting $16 trillion, we now have 16 trillion reasons to dump Obama. But, even if we are successful, we will still have 16 trillion reasons to cut spending. Do you think Republicans will do it without pressure?
|