After years of deficit spending, in this fiscal year we are expected to see a genuine budget surplus (i.e., a surplus calculated without having to include the funds being set aside for Social Security). This has prompted loud cries from the Republicans for significant tax cuts. I believe tax cuts at this time are clearly irresponsible and I am adamantly opposed to them. Emerging budget surpluses should be used to repay the national debt and to properly fund the federal retirement programs.
Here's a recent press release issued after the U.S. Senate passed a tax cut bill.
Here's my response to Dennis Hastert (Speaker of the House) and Dick Armey's (House Majority leader) commentary published by the St. Paul Pioneer Press on 08/12/99.
It's hard to make good decisions when you're getting bad information. This time it was President Clinton that misrepresented the situation. Here are my comments.
If you don't accurately state the national debt, it's easier to make a case for tax cuts and/or increased spending. This is in fact exactly what both President Clinton and the Republicans are doing. Here are my comments.
I believe this nation is capable of achieving productivity growth rates in the 3 percent area, and should maintain and adopt policies that allow us to achieve this rate. Chief among these are policies that assure sufficient national saving.
We achieved this kind of growth in the 50s and 60s, but ever since the early 70s, with the exception of the last couple of years, we've been mired in productivity growth rates closer to 1 percent. At a 3 percent productivity growth rate, average per capita income doubles in 23 years, whereas at a 1 percent growth rate, it takes 67 years to double average per capita income.
Many people now perceive their contributions to the Social Security System to be nothing more than a tax, and only vaguely related to their ultimate benefits. This is just one of many reasons why we should privatize the Social Security retirement program such that each worker has individual property rights over his or her contributions and the returns they yield.
The Star Tribune published an editorial on November 19, 1999, regarding the effect of a budget deficit on the ability of the nation to meet its Social Security obligations. Here's the letter I submitted in response.
I recently issued an analysis of Rod Grams' severely flawed privatization plan and the Democratic response.
"There are two things that are important in politics. The first is money, and I can't remember what the second one is," said Mark Hanna, mastermind behind William McKiney's successful presidential campaign in 1896.
The federal government should end the economic war between the states. A press conference was held to present a plan to accomplish that end. Rick McCluhan, Independence Party state chair, introduced me (play). Here's the speech (play). Here's the question and answer part (play).
Ultimately, we need to separate the link between
employment and health care. This link might have been appropriate in
another time, but because of the mobility of our work force is no
longer appropriate. We should move to a system where the link is directly
between insurance company and individual. Changing a job would not mean
changing insurance companies.
Having said that, wages will not rise overnight, and there is a
pressing problem. I support a variety of initiatives:
Marijuana prohibition has failed. It's chief result has been the increase in the level
and profitability of criminal activity. Here's the press release
announcing my support for replacing marijuana prohibition with a system of regulation.
Here's the video of the press conference held to explain this position
(Play,
Download). Most people agree that guns should be kept out of the hands of felons and unsupervised
minors. The question is to what extent the laws need to be tightened, and to what extent
additional steps need to be taken to enforce existing laws. With few exceptions, I believe
the laws are adequate, and that the primary problem is one of enforcement. The Republicans want to save homosexuals from themselves, while the Democrats want to
save them from the Republicans. To me, this is simply a civil rights issue. Every citizen
of this country should have the same protections and privileges under the law, regardless
of race, gender, religion or sexual preference. Period.
The abortion issue is essentially a theological discussion, with no certain answers. Only the woman knows the full circumstances of her life and pregnancy, and only she is equipped to make that profound moral choice. I therefore fully support a woman's right to choose.
Prepared and paid for by James Gibson for U.S. SenateHealth Care
Affordable Housing
I believe that this problem is not so much about a lack of affordable housing,
as a shortage of jobs offering livable wages. We need to maintain policies
that promote strong economic growth and policies that maintain tight
labor markets. While some see the tightness of the labor market as a
problem, I see it as a very healthy situation. Employers are bidding
for the services of employees, and that will help to drive up wages,
particularly at the low end.
Environment
Over the
course of this campaign I've developed a much deeper appreciation
of the many environmental problems that are facing us...
Agriculture
What is particularly distressing about the farm issue is the lack of
honesty in the public dialog. Constructive solutions will only come
when leaders have the courage to discuss their views candidly.
Marijuana Prohibition
Gun
Control
Gay Equal Rights
Abortion
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