This week, the House passed H.R. 2016, the National Landscape Conservation System Act. I voted against this bill because it would create further use restrictions on public lands, restricting recreation and other activities that taxpayers choose to do on the land they own. The House also passed a resolution that eliminates a House rule which requires an up or down vote within 90 days on trade agreements sent to Congress by the President. This was done after the White House had already sent the Columbia Free Trade Agreement, thereby changing the rules after the fact.

Unfriendly Tax Facts

This coming Tuesday marks another dreaded tax day to Americans. It is estimated that individuals this year will spend over 3.18 billion hours complying with federal income tax laws at an economic cost of over $75 billion in lost productivity. In a testament to the complexity inherent within the system, the IRS currently lists 1,047 forms, schedules, and instructions on its website, and even its simplest form, the 1040EZ will require on average more than three hours to complete.

This year, 100 percent of an average American’s income earned from January 1 through April 22 (113 days), will go to pay federal, state, and local taxes. Therefore, April 23rd will be Tax Freedom Day, the day on which the average American will begin to work for anything besides taxes. Additionally, Americans must not forget that even when their federal tax returns are filed, they will continue to pay high excise taxes when they fill up their gas tank, purchase an airline ticket, or even make a phone call. These excise taxes add up to over $500 per year for the average American.

Instead of punishing our citizens with an outdated, complex, and unfair tax system, Congress should be focusing on legislation to correct the system. A good start would be to terminate the federal tax code and replace it with a simple, fair system that provides tax relief to hard working Americans. Additionally, the Republican 2001 and 2003 tax cuts should be made permanent, and the Alternative Minimum Tax should be completely repealed. Unfortunately, with a budget spiraling upwards of $3 trillion, Democrat leaders need a repressive tax system to pay for expanding government programs, and have made little effort to move forward with tax reform that will help Americans keep more money in their pocket.

Defeating the Defeatists

General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker testified before Congress this week on the progress being made in Iraq. Their testimony reinforced what is widely known -- that the surge has reduced violence drastically, and Iraq has met 12 of 18 benchmarks set by the President and is continuing to make progress on five more. However, this success is unacceptable to Democrats who must appease the liberal wing of their party. Both Democrat Presidential candidates called on General Petraeus to begin a withdrawal of U.S. troops only minutes after General Petraeus underscored the vital stake our nation has in a stable and democratic Iraq – and what consequences we would face if our troops left in defeat, before that goal is realized. In fact, both candidates have publicly stated that the surge has failed, which is in direct opposition to the testimony presented by General Petraeus. These actions merely continue the Democrats’ attempts to undermine our military commanders and politicize the war. I remain opposed to these defeatist efforts, and will continue to push for a military spending bill that does not choke off funding for our troops or contain harmful policy riders that restricts our ability to make further progress in Iraq.

Quote of the Week

“Former presidential candidate John Edwards announced this week he will not accept the nomination for vice president. That's what he said. He will not accept the vice presidential nomination. To which the cashier at Wendy's said, 'You want a frosty with this, mister? People are waiting.'” – Jay Leno on NBC’s The Tonight Show, April 9, 2008.