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BUSH'S TAX PLAN IS A CONTRADICTION

March 9, 2001

    MARINA DEL REY, CALIF.--In his address to Congress, President Bush presented a clear contradiction--while calling for a tax cut, he also plans to increase spending. This is not surprising. Modern political leaders always find a reason to increase government, said Ayn Rand Institute fellow and Creators Syndicate columnist Robert W. Tracinski.

     "Despite its famous tax cut, the Bush budget does little to reverse the tide of growing government," said Tracinski. "By proposing enormous increases in a few programs and accepting as an unchallenged absolute the steady increase of most other government programs, the budget accepts the idea that the individual is subordinate to the government and its 'needs.'"

     Tracinski said that in spite of the talk of "smaller" government, there is always some priority our leaders find that "forces" government to get bigger. So it is with Bush and his budget:

     * The budget's first priority is to increase government spending at 4 percent per year-more than the rate of inflation.

     * The budget's second priority is to improve the government's finances by paying down $2 trillion in debt over the next 10 years.

     * The budget's lowest priority is in fact the tax cut, which is to be just the amount of revenue left over after government has taken care of its "needs." So the $5.6 trillion in projected surpluses are pledged first to cover increased spending, then to debt reduction--taxpayers get only what's left.

     "Our political leaders want to think that such issues as 'free markets vs. big government' are outmoded, that steady economic growth and government surpluses make it possible for us to have our cake and eat it, too--to have tax cuts and increased spending and debt reduction, all at the same time,'" said Tracinski. "But basic principles cannot be dissolved. No amount of surpluses will let us evade the basic question: Who has the ultimate claim to our wealth-ourselves, that is, the individuals who produce that wealth, or the government? Given the priorities contained in Bush's budget, it looks as if our right to keep our wealth will be the first thing on the chopping block when Congress starts to debate the Bush budget."

Ayn Rand Institute fellow and Creators Syndicate columnist Robert W. Tracinski is available for interviews.

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