Today while I was traveling to lunch I turned on the radio to listen to a certain radio commentator. The regular host had a substitute in place. This is a conservative show and the sub was doing his best to present a conservative theme.

His rant was that if Democrats gain control of the Congress and the White House in 2008, then we will see the highest tax increase and government program increase our country has ever seen.

The host went on to describe why he thought deficits were harmless, but tax increases were harmful. His reason for this viewpoint were that tax increases were disincentives to work and productivity. The host asserted that when you take money away from investors, those investors then don't invest in the sort of things that create jobs.

Well, if that host's theory is correct, then why don't you as an individual deliberately spend more than you make every month? Answer: because you will eventually be unable to pay off the debt you accumulate. Government is no different than individuals.

Remember that there is a difference between a budget deficit and our national debt. The gap between the money the government spends and the revenue it takes in during a fiscal year is the deficit. The money we borrow every year to make up that gap adds up and becomes our national debt. Our national debt is now over the $9 Trillion dollar mark. That means each American (were the debt divided equally) owes about $30,000.

As far as the investors go, why should they risk their money building factories and making other investments that create jobs? Instead, they can safely loan their money to the government  to cover the deficits. And, because the government has to have the money, their bids for that money results in higher interest rates. And higher interest rates makes it more difficult for small business to get the capital they need to grow and survive. So how is this good for individual consumers and small business? Answer: It's not good.

Certainly I'm not in favor of paying higher taxes. No one is. But I hope that, when challenged, the reply to the accusation of raising taxes if elected is this. "Our goal is not to raise taxes. Our goal is to reduce the debt and lower interest rates. Doing so will require the discipline of raising taxes and reducing spending. Not doing so exposes us to the choice of bankruptcy or extreme inflation. We think our solution is better."

As we've said before, don't take our word for it. Check out the Concord Coalition at our favorite links. We think you'll be amazed.