Fiscal Responsibility of Government

Our National Security and economy is directly dependent on our country's fiscal responsibility and solvency.  Governments reckless borrowing and spending with total disregard to the accumulation of debt or its repayment threatens not only the stability of our country in world markets but every industry, business sector, man, woman and child in this country for generations to come.

In this time of economic and financial crisis, we must be better stewards of this economy and our governments spending and financial stability more than ever before. That is why our first order of business will be to introduce a Balanced Budget Amendment to our Constitution. After all, if you have to live within a budget then you should expect nothing less from your government. Adopting a balanced Budget policy and Amendment will insure fiscal responsibility, so that we do not mortgage our children's future on a mountain of debt. We will begin to immediately pay down the over $12 Trillion Dollar National debt. We will restore fairness and responsibility to our tax code. We will bring balance back to the housing markets, so that people do not have to lose their homes. And we will encourage personal savings free of further taxes, so that our economy remains strong and Americans can live well in their retirements.

We must next reform our tax code. It's thousands of pages long, a monstrosity that high-priced lobbyists and former legislators have rigged with page after page of special interest loopholes, tax shelters and hidden taxation, penalties & fines. We will reform the tax code by lowering the overall tax rates and shifting to one of either a National Sales Tax, flat tax and/or graduated flat tax on business and individuals. In doing so we will eliminate the corporate loopholes and tax havens, save hundreds of millions of dollars in government tax administration costs while putting more money back where it belongs, in the hands of the States, small business, workers and their families. We'll eliminate federal income taxes for millions of retirees, because all seniors deserve to live out their lives with dignity and respect. While we reform our tax code we offer additional tax cuts for middle-class families.

We will ensure that the foreclosure prevention program enacted by Congress is implemented quickly and effectively so that at-risk homeowners can get help and hopefully stay in their homes. We will work to reform bankruptcy laws to restore balance between lender and homeowner rights. We will institute new lending standards and regulations to ensure that loans are affordable and fair, that a national maximum interest usury rate is established, provide adequate remedies to make sure the standards are met, and ensure that borrowers and homeowners have accurate and complete information about their credit loans and mortgage options. We will support affordable rental housing, which is now more critical than ever.