When the Republicans gained control of Congress in 1994, federal revenues totaled $1.3 trillion annually.

Since then, they've grown to roughly $2 trillion per year. In that same time period, federal expenditures have grown from $1.4 trillion annually to $2 trillion per year. In each case, this is an increase which approximates 50 percent.

From 1787 to 1994 yearly federal government spending increased from essentially zero dollars to $1.4 trillion in revenues and outlays. However, in the last six years that we have had a Republican Congress, they've accomplished the work of almost 200 years of government growth, in only six years time. The reality is that government spends at least as much as it takes in.

There was not a balanced budget this past year, nor will there be one this next year. Claims of a balanced budget are predicated on ignoring the fact that during the past three fiscal years the federal government has taken $305 billion in FICA taxes from what was intended to be a deposit in the Social Security Trust Fund.

The Republicans and Democrats are both talking about tax cuts, but they're really talking only about ways in which they are going to rearrange plans for taking more of your money each year.

The Constitution Party is committed to the complete elimination of the IRS and the complete reform of our present tax system. We will eliminate taxes on income, capital gains, inheritances, gifts, business activity and FICA taxes as well. The federal government would derive its revenues instead from a 25 percent revenue tariff on foreign goods imported into the United States as well as excises targeted on nonessential goods and services.

Both of these categories of taxation represent taxes that can be avoided if people choose to purchase American goods. They can avoid paying any tariff and if they choose to avoid purchasing nonessential goods and services they can likewise free themselves from the burden of excise taxes. The consequence is that families will be allowed to keep all that they earn and there will no longer be pressure on both spouses to enter the work force

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