May 20, 2006
Penn
Patriot
 Brown
Shoes Diary
Up the Ante, Eiche!
John Eichelberger hasn't won the office of state senator
yet and even if he does he won't start his term until January of next year,
but I already think he's moving too slowly and too weakly.
Sure, he deserves a lot of credit for defeating Robert Jubelirer. He knew
getting into that race that it would get nasty. He knew he would get outspent
by at least 5 to 1. He knew he was going against the full force of the
Republican establishment, but he didn't know before the fact that a credible
and creditable third candidate would emerge making the already daunting task
of taking on Senator Jubelirer even harder. Yet through all of that, he
remained level-headed and uncomplaining and demonstrated a focus on the
business at hand. (Not mentioned in this race was just how much time
Eichelberger had to spend tending to his duties as County Commissioner.
Meanwhile, Senator Jubelirer was tending to his duties of constituent
services--wink, wink.)
Eichelberger is also to be applauded for the very effective idea of a Promise
to Pennsylvania, but this is where I think he is weak-kneed. On a four point
program, fiscal reform is listed 3rd. It ought to get top priority. But even
if it were the top priority, the position statement is worse than wishy-washy.
The taxpayer bill of rights (TABOR) enunciated in the document is, in fact, an
abandonment of the taxpayers' interests. The aim of legislating TABOR is to
restrict the growth of government spending and taxation to inflation plus
population growth. In essence, it assumes that current spending and taxation
is at the appropriate level. That is an outrageous position to take and an
outrageously weak position to operate from if you are sincere in getting
government off the backs of taxpayers.
Keep in mind that lobby and legislative reforms are only important because of
how much spending and taxation goes on to maintain the overgrown beast in
Harrisburg. The starting point for action should not be how much we're going
to limit growth, but how much we're going to cut. As a starter, I'd suggest a
plan of 10% cuts across the board for five consecutive years, which would
result in cutting state government in half. That's still too big a government,
but at least that's an honest effort of upholding the Commonwealth's motto of
"Virtue, Liberty, and Independence."
Now, somebody is going to ask what I'm smoking to suggest such a dramatic
proposal of downsizing state government. From a practical point of view, it
may be unachievable. But if practicality is your point of view, then ask
yourself this: What's practical about trying to shrink government by agreeing
to grow it? At most, TABOR ought to be the final fallback position in the
battle. The opening salvo ought to be a whole lot more aggressive than
conceding government growth from its current overly high levels.
The original signatories to the Promise to Pennsylvania (Messrs. Eichelberger,
Harris, Hornberger, and Folmer) did phenomenally well in the recent primary
despite the absence of a serious position on cutting government. I would urge
them to reconsider their Promise. Prioritize cuts in government spending as
item number one. Cutting spending will directly result in tax cuts and will
necessarily reduce the special interest activities of lawmakers and lobbyists.
Cutting government in absolute terms would immediately accomplish three of the
four objectives of the Promise to Pennsylvania. Only the fourth point of Legal
and Labor Reform would require attention after they've begun to shrink
government.
With a revised Promise to Pennsylvania, everyone (including Democrats and
especially RINOs) would be on notice as to what the proper course of action is
for our current lawmakers in Harrisburg.
The opinions and ideas expressed in this essay are those of John D
McGinnis and should not be considered representative of WRTA.com, any
institution with which McGinnis is associated, or anyone else. He can be
contacted at zoiprof@atlanticbb.net.
Contact John D McGinnis
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