POLITICS BLOG: Tiahrt op-ed

Ed. Note: Each week during the primary campaign, U.S. Reps. Todd Tiahrt and Jerry Moran have been invited to submit a blog entry. The following is from Tiahrt:

More spending, higher taxes and a growing national debt. This is the fiscal direction our country is headed, and under the presidency of Barak Obama, we are on a collision course for an economic meltdown. Something has to give.

Never in our nation’s history has the federal government sought to make the American people so dependent on government services. From nationalized healthcare to micro-management of the energy decisions we make (Cap and Trade), the government wants to be involved in everything we do.

To feed this government appetite for more power and control, those in power are always looking for more revenue, which means new and higher taxes. I have never voted for a tax increase because higher taxes stall economic growth, kill jobs and stifle innovation. Not only have I never voted to raise taxes, but I have consistently fought to lower our existing tax burden. Hard-working families and businesses are taxed too much, and we need real economic stimulus that allows the free market to create jobs and new growth.

As I travel the state, I hear from voters every day who are tired of high taxes to fund big government. These same Kansans tell me they are especially disappointed with my opponent because of his record of supporting higher taxes that have fueled more and more government spending.

For months Congressman Moran has been publicly denying that he voted against the 2003 Bush tax cuts. However, during a live televised debate a few days ago, Congressman Moran finally admitted that he has not been truthful with Kansas voters and acknowledged he did, in fact, vote against the $726 billion Bush tax cut budget in 2003, which contained a permanent repeal of the death tax.

When Congressman Moran had a chance to support a permanent repeal of the death tax, he instead sided with Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic Caucus in opposing our efforts to reduce the tax burden for every taxpayer in America. My family lost our farm because of the death tax, and I will never miss an opportunity to vote for a permanent repeal. This is not just a political issue for me; it’s personal. And I will not relent until we put an end to the death tax for good.

Throughout his career, Congressman Moran has voted for higher property taxes, higher sales taxes, higher income taxes, higher capital gains taxes, taxes on the Internet and against a permanent repeal of the death tax. He even voted with Nancy Pelosi last year to raise taxes to 90 percent on individuals who were politically unpopular at the time.

Given the direction our country is headed, we cannot afford another get-along Washington politician – we need someone with the courage to fight for lower taxes and smaller government even when it’s not convenient.

I have been honored to stand up for taxpayers and work to build our economy from the ground up not the government down. Because I know that if we just give workers and innovators opportunity to succeed, we can move toward more prosperous times without the government getting in the way.

As the August 3rd Republican primary approaches, please consider joining my campaign so we can take our conservative message to the U.S. Senate on behalf of our great state.