Growls

Last week, the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) and the National Taxpayers Union (NTU) sent an open letter to presidential aspirants Senators McCain (R) and Obama (D) telling the candidates that if they truly wish to cut waste, the two organizations can tell them how. In the October 16 letter (linked  from this press release), they write:

“In your series of Presidential debates, you have both expressed support for the idea of going through the budget "line by line" in order to root out waste and inefficiency. As watchdog organizations dedicated to the elimination of wasteful spending, the National Taxpayers Union (NTU) and the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) have spent years doing exactly that.

“Both of our organizations maintain extensive lists of programs that could be cut or legislation that would reduce spending. We target programs that are either ineffective or duplicative, or activities best left to state and local governments or the private sector.”

The presidents of the two organizations close the letter saying:

“Whichever one of you emerges victorious from November's election will be faced with difficult choices when it comes to budgets and overall spending. By all accounts, our budget deficit will set a new record and could approach $1 trillion. Fortunately, there is a surplus of methods to achieve real savings for the taxpayer.

“Through suggestions like ours and the important oversight provided by the Congressional Budget Office, the Government Accountability Office, the Office of Management and Budget, and others, a McCain or Obama Administration could make real progress towards a leaner, more effective, and more accountable Federal government.”

Instead of raising taxes, it seems the victorious candidates should first work for a more efficient and economical government.