Dear Member of Congress:
On behalf of the millions of tax-paying Americans represented by the groups signed below, we urge you to reject a massive increase in government spending disingenuously disguised with a "Stimulus 2" moniker. Congress should cut taxes and cut spending instead if it wants to stimulate the economy.
Although the price tag for a new spending package will undoubtedly spiral upward as the House and Senate ping-pong the legislation between themselves, Senator Robert Byrd made an "opening bid" of $24.1 billion for such a plan before Congress recessed in August. Not to be outdone, Congressional Quarterly news reports describe House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's commitment for new spending as "at least $50 billion." Taxpayers cringe at the thought of a Senate counter-offer.
Proponents will argue that a Stimulus 2 will direct money into infrastructure, housing, disaster recovery, and energy assistance -- supposedly "neglected" areas. We beg to differ.
According to the National Taxpayers Union Foundation's VoteTally program, which tracks Congressional votes affecting the level of federal outlays, Congress adopted legislation to increase spending above the baseline in these areas by $99 billion between 2001 and 2006.
| Energy & Water (with HR 6, Energy Bill)** | $6,566,000,000 |
| Transportation-VA-HUD (with HR 3, Highway Bill)** | $50,202,000,000 |
| Supplementals & Disasters*** | $42,321,000,000 |
| $99,089,000,000 |
*Changes in outlays relative to appropriate baseline.
**Energy bill (HR 6, 108th Congress) and TEA-LU (HR 3, 109th Congress) are not offset against appropriations.
***FY02 Supplemental number is based on assumption that 60 percent of total cost is for non-defense emergency spending. FY05 Supplemental number is based on assumption that 7.5 percent of total cost is for non-defense emergency spending. FY06 Supplemental number is based on assumption that 25 percent of total cost is for non-defense emergency spending.
Government doesn't create wealth; it either redistributes it or destroys it. Our members understand that shifting money from individuals to government programs (many with questionable performance records) will not "stimulate" sustainable economic growth.
In early 2008, many of our organizations pointed out in an open letter that if "Congress seeks true stimulus that is economically sound, it ought to reduce tax rates ... ." That suggestion remains as true today as it did earlier this year. Low tax rates on hard work and investment will do much more over the short and long term to expand prosperity in America. Reject calls for higher federal spending.
Sincerely,
Duane Parde
National Taxpayers Union
Tom Schatz
Council for Citizens Against Government Waste
Tim Phillips
Americans for Prosperity
Grover Norquist
Americans for Tax Reform
Matt Kibbe
FreedomWorks
Tom McClusky
Family Research Council
Jeffrey Mazzella
Center for Individual Freedom
Ryan Ellis
American Shareholders Association
Doug Bandow
Citizen Outreach Project
William Westmiller
Republican Liberty Caucus
Terrence Scanlon
Capital Research Center
Steve Voeller
Arizona Free Enterprise Club
Tom Jenney
Arizona Federation of Taxpayers
Americans for Prosperity
Marc Goldstone
Arizona Tax Revolt
Roland Boucher
United Californians for Tax Reform
Douglas Bruce
Active Citizens Together (CO)
Bill Whipple
Securing America's Future Economy (SAFE) Delaware
John Hallman
Florida Taxpayers Union
Richard Rowland
State of Hawaii Center-Right Coalition
Karl Peterjohn
Kansas Taxpayers Network
Brett Gaspard
Kentucky Taxpayers Union
John Roberts
Taxpayers Union of Louisiana
Mark Alan Zelden
Louisiana Conservative Action Network
Dee Hodges
Maryland Taxpayers Association
Barbara Anderson
Citizens for Limited Taxation (MA)
Howie Morgan
Mississippi Forward
Forest Thigpen
Mississippi Center for Public Policy
Tom Martz
Missouri Liberty Coalition
Doug Kagan
Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom
Jerry Cantrell
New Jersey Taxpayers Association
Matthew J. Brouillette
Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives (PA)
James Beale
Rhode Island Statewide Coalition
Randy Page
South Carolinians for Responsible Government
Ben Cunningham
Tennessee Tax Revolt
Susan W. Gore
Wyoming Liberty Group
Kurt E. Hahn
Central Solano Citizen/Taxpayer Group (CA)
Richard Rider
San Diego Tax Fighters (CA)
Michael Dyer, Kauai County Coordinator
Hawaii Center-Right Coalition Meetings
Mark R. Spengler, Kailua Coordinator
Hawaii Center-Right Coalition Meetings
Rose Bogaert
Wayne County Taxpayers Association, Inc. (MI)
Roy H. Stewart
Bedford Taxpayers Association (NH)
Al Aitken
VOTORS (VA)
Timothy Wise
Arlington County Taxpayers Association (VA)
Bud Miller
Alexandria Taxpayers United (VA)