[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 93 (Friday, June 27, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1352]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    REGARDING COST OF GOVERNMENT DAY

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                               speech of

                           HON. BOB SCHAFFER

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 26, 1997

  Mr. SCHAFFER of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, it's ironic, the proximity of 
the Fourth of July and Cost of Government Day. Of course the national 
celebration recalling our independence is a day to ponder the blessings 
of liberty.
  Cost of Government Day, however, is quite the opposite, a dramatic 
reminder of just how much freedom Americans have relinquished to the 
excesses of big government and profligate spending. This year, Cost of 
Government Day falls on July 3d.
  A somber event, Cost of Government Day occurs later and later each 
year. The date is determined by calculating the number of days 
Americans must work in order to earn enough money to pay for the 
government. This year, it will take 183 days of work to afford to pay 
for Federal, State, and local taxes and regulatory costs.
  The total cost of government in 1997 is estimated at $3.52 trillion, 
up from $3.38 trillion in 1996. This expense translates into a burden 
averaging $13,500.00 for every man, woman and child.
  If that's not enough to make your sparkler fizzle, think about this: 
Even with the celebrated balanced budget Congress is forgoing, the 
Federal Government will spend $19.2 trillion over the next 10 years and 
after that, spending for the following ten years is projected to surge 
to $29.3 trillion.
  Many people think their April 15th tax payment satisfies their civic 
toll. Unfortunately, it's just the beginning. In addition to taxes, 
there is a plethora of regulations and government programs which only 
increase consumer costs, reduce job opportunities, waste valuable time, 
suppress productivity, and control our lives. The estimated total cost 
of government regulations for 1997 is $688 billion which is a 25 
percent increase since 1988.
  What would Thomas Jefferson, or John Adams say about the government 
they helped design if they could see it today? Suppose you were to 
observe the pair discussing the matter over dinner at your favorite 
neighborhood eatery. According to the Americans for Tax Reform 
Foundations, $11.00 of their $40.00 restaurant bill goes directly to 
taxes. The remaining $29.00 covers all other costs of preparing and 
serving the meal.
  The taxes on meals includes federal, state, and local income taxes, 
Social Security taxes, property taxes, unemployment insurance taxes, 
workers compensation taxes, utility taxes, licensing fees, and possibly 
other taxes depending on the state.
  In addition to taxes, the restaurant has to deal with various 
regulatory agencies like OHSA, EPA, IRS, USDA, BATF, NLRB, the local 
health department, zoning and licensing boards, and more. After that, 
the proprietor pays his suppliers, his staff, the mortgages, and if 
he's lucky, he'll have a little left over for himself.
  Surely the Signers of the Declaration of Independence has something 
much different in mind on July 4, 1776, when they affirmed, ``Prudence, 
indeed will dictate that Governments long established should not be 
changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience 
hath shown, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are 
sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which 
they are accustomed.
  ``But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing 
invariably the same objective evinces a design to reduce them under 
absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off 
such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.''
  Fortunately, our founding heroes designed a system allowing us to 
throw off the yoke of bondage peaceably, at the ballot box. For this 
reason, the Fourth of July is a festive celebration overshadowing Cost 
of Government Day.
  Taken together, the back-to-back occasions should serve as a clarion 
call to those of us who still believe the America dream is worth 
preserving. Indeed, our Forefathers waged a revolution against far less 
than American taxpayers are willing to tolerate today.
  Independence Day should be our parapet, a demarcation beyond which 
the cost of government must not intrude. Our objective in Congress, 
should be to dramatically relieve the tax burden on American families 
so as to increase economic freedom and to honor life, liberty and the 
pursuit of happiness as the providential birthright of all citizens who 
revel in our glorious independence.

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