[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 15]
[House]
[Page 21667]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



             TO REPUBLICANS, TAX RELIEF IS A FREEDOM ISSUE

  (Mr. BALLENGER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BALLENGER. Mr. Speaker, a lot of people do not think there is 
much difference between Democrats and Republicans. But when it comes to 
taxes, it is hard to argue that point of view with a straight face. 
Republicans want to cut taxes. We do not say the government should deny 
some people tax relief and offer tax relief to others. If you are a 
taxpayer, we think you should get some tax relief.
  Liberal Democrats want the government to pick and choose which 
taxpayers should benefit from tax relief. They will do everything 
possible to ensure that those who pay the most taxes and who are 
carrying most of the load do not receive any tax relief.
  To us, tax relief is a freedom issue. We think that fundamentally the 
people who earn the money in the first place are the best judge on how 
to spend it, and certainly better than Washington, who is eager to 
spend it for them.
  Americans are overtaxed. Which Americans? American taxpayers. We 
think it is time they receive some tax relief.

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