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Our Country's Fresh Start The American people give every new President a wonderful gift called the "honeymoon period." It is when harsh partisan politics seem to go away. Most Americans see it as a good time to appreciate our tradition of peaceful transitions of power. Not all countries are so blessed. Though the Bush-Gore 2000 election was very close and contested in the courts, our new President also has his "honeymoon period." And George W. Bush is making the most of it. On February 27, I sat in the U.S. Capitol and listened to our new President's State of the Union speech. It really was more than a simple speech. It really was a fresh start for our whole country. President Bush took a huge step forward in uniting our nation. He is already changing the political climate in Washington for the better. Some of my Democrat friends have admitted that President Bush means what he says about being a uniter and not a divider. He also laid out an impressive tax plan, which I think is right on the money. For example, families of four making $35,000 a year will no longer pay federal income taxes. You heard right: no more federal income taxes! That takes 6 million American families right off the federal tax rolls. That is not all. Families of four making $50,000 a year will have their federal taxes cut in half. And a family of four making $75,000 a year will receive a 25 percent tax cut. I think most Americans would admit that good deals do not get much better than this. The President believes that this tax cut is the right thing for the nation. I agree and think it is not only right, but also fiscally responsible. Many ask if we can afford this tax cut. It is a good question to which the answer is clearly "yes." Over the next ten years, the federal government is going to receive $5.6 trillion dollars in surplus tax revenues. That is "trillion" with a "T". The President knows that this tax surplus means taxpayers will be sending too much money to Washington. It literally is more money than the federal government has use for. As problems go, this is one any other nation would like to have. What is the solution? Well, Democrats are proposing new ways to spend that money -- more bureaucrats, and new government spending that is harder to get rid of than a weed with deep roots. On the other hand, Republicans think if the federal government is getting too much taxpayer money -- which is what a surplus is -- maybe we ought to do the right thing and leave more of it with the folks who actually earned it. Some partisans think it is a radical and dangerous notion. Outside of Washington, the American people understand that giving some of the surplus back to the American people is the right way to go. The President believes that some of the $5.6 trillion surplus that is not going to be returned to taxpayers should be used for some very high priority federal efforts. Topping his list is education. The President believes that "no child should be left behind." And I agree that where a child comes from ought not determine where that child goes in life. That is why I support the President's plan to triple to $1 billion the federal money that helps children learn to read. We all know that reading is the key that unlocks the door to a lifetime of opportunity. Secondly, the President's plan allows us to eliminate more than $2 trillion of our national debt over the next ten years. That goes a long way towards balancing our nation's books. Also, the President plans to increase funding for our men and women in uniform. They put their lives on the line. The least we can do is make sure they have decent salaries, good training and modern combat gear. In the next few weeks, President Bush's "honeymoon" will come to an end. And there will be vigorous debate over his tax-cut and savings plan. I have seen quite a few Presidential budgets over the years and I really believe this President is on the right course. He deserves our support. |
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