[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 45 (Friday, March 10, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3768-S3769]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              TAX CUT--WHAT IS POPULAR IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT

  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, a week ago, we finished a debate about a 
constitutional amendment to balance the budget. In that debate, there 
was a great deal of discussion about the desire of Members of Congress 
to see the Government balance its books and produce a balanced budget.
  It is interesting to me today, on Friday, that we find a week later 
some of those who boasted the loudest about wanting to balance the 
Federal budget are now deciding that what we really need to do is to 
cut taxes. In fact, they are just marking up in the other body a $188 
billion tax cut bill, which I assume is popular and I assume that in 
their polling has shown to be something that the American people would 
favor. So they decide that the road to fiscal policy health, at least 
from their perspective, is to offer the American people a tax cut.
  Often what is popular is not always right, and that is the case with 
a proposed tax cut at this point in our country's history. All of us 
would like to be able to say to our constituents, we would like lower 
taxes for you. In fact, if we are signing up, let me sign up for a zero 
tax rate for my constituents.
  I am sure that most of them would like to not pay any taxes if they 
can avoid doing so, but they understand the responsibility to do so. 
They understand the need to keep our streets safe and have a police 
department, to have a Defense Department to keep our country secure, to 
pay for education, to pay for the things that make life worthwhile in 
this country. They understand the need to pay some taxes. They do not 
want those payments wasted. They want them invested in the future of 
our country.
  But at a time when we have a significant debt and a very significant 
budget deficit, for those who bellowed the loudest about changing the 
Constitution to require a balanced budget to 7 
[[Page S3769]] days later now tell us that their plan really includes 
reducing Federal revenues by $188 billion reminds me a little of 
watching ponies at the circus, all gussied up, prancing around in a 
circle, never going anyplace, just showing off.
  The question is, Are you going to balance the budget or not? You do 
not balance the budget by cutting this Nation's revenues and increasing 
one of the largest accounts, defense spending. That is not an 
arithmetic that I learned in a high school class of nine. There might 
be a new math out there someplace that comes with these new Republicans 
who have arrived in Washington, but if it is a new math, I do not think 
it adds up.
  At least from my standpoint, I say to the Contract With America and 
those who wrote it, I say to the President, I say to others who believe 
there ought to be a tax cut, you are wrong. Our job is simple. Our job 
is to cut Federal spending and use the savings to cut the Federal 
budget deficit. That is our job. It is not our job to be weather vanes, 
spinning to the latest moment of public passion and deciding it is 
popular now to be talking about tax cuts. It is our job now to be 
talking about spending cuts and reducing the budget deficit and putting 
us on a path towards balancing this Federal budget.
  So again I say the proof is not in what people say, but it is in what 
people do. Those who now come trudging along with a proposal for a 
massive tax cut, much of which will go to the wealthiest of Americans, 
do no service to this country in the search for a balanced budget. I, 
for one, believe our job is clear. It is not to cut taxes, it is to cut 
spending and use the savings to cut the budget deficit. The sooner we 
do that in a serious way, the better this country's future will be.

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