Tax and Spend – A rebuttal to Priscilla O’Donnell (July 18, 1996)

July 18, 1996

The Community Press

Dear Editor:

It appears that Priscilla O’Donnell, chairman of the Clermont County Democratic Party, wishes to join the Republican Party. Her guest editorial (July 17) almost appeared to be a renouncement of Democratic Party policies and an application to become a republican. O’Donnell seems to be quite confused.

Her opening sentence was stunning: “Democrats have been unfairly characterized as the Tax and Spend Party.” Why does O’Donnell think that Tax and Spend Democrats are anything other than just that?

This is a quiz: Which branch of government controls taxation and spending? If you said congress, you are correct. Which party controlled the congress for 40 years? If you said the Democrats, you are correct. Which party is primarily responsible for a bloated federal bureaucracy, runaway spending, a massive national debt, and an oppressive policy of massive taxation and stifling regulation? If you said the Democrats, you are again correct.

Thank God that the Republicans have finally taken control of congress. They are attempting to reverse 40 years of failed Democratic Policies. Unfortunately, Bill Clinton continues to veto the Republican’s attempts to cut spending, cut taxes, eliminate burdensome regulations, and return power to the states and to the people where it constitutionally belongs.

Ronald Reagan shut down the government because he thought that congress was spending too much money. Bill Clinton shut down the government because he thought that congress wasn’t spending enough money. Who besides Bill Clinton and his Democratic Cronies thinks that congress isn’t spending enough money?

Although O’Donnell paints herself as a fiscal conservative, I can’t help but suspect that she shares the same underhanded political strategy as Bill Clinton. The strategy is deviously brilliant and has proven to be successful: Talk conservative to get elected and then govern liberal.

John E. Becker