(Alexandria, VA) -- As Congress scrambles to complete work on a number of issues during the final three weeks of the current session, an open letter from more than 40 citizen groups urged lawmakers "to reject a massive increase in government spending disingenuously disguised with a 'Stimulus 2' moniker." The joint statement was organized by the 362,000-member National Taxpayers Union (NTU).
"Congress should cut taxes and cut spending instead if it wants to stimulate the economy," the signatories noted. "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."
Organizations supporting the statement represent millions of Americans in the conservative community, including the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, Americans for Prosperity, Americans for Tax Reform, the Center for Individual Freedom, and the Family Research Council. State- and local-level groups, from Florida to California and points in between, were also signatories.
Stimulus 2 supporters argue that the more than $50 billion package will direct money into supposedly "neglected" areas such as infrastructure, housing, disaster recovery, and energy assistance. But as the coalition letter points out, data from the NTU Foundation, NTU's research and educational affiliate, found that "Congress adopted legislation to increase spending above the baseline in these areas by $99 billion between 2001 and 2006."
The letter concludes by quoting a similar open message to Congress from many of the same organizations opposing the first so-called "stimulus package" early this year: "If Congress seeks true stimulus that is economically sound, it ought to reduce tax rates," the signatories conclude. "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."
NTU is a non-partisan citizen group working for lower taxes and smaller government at all levels. Note: The full text of the letter is available online at www.ntu.org.