Creating Jobs and Economic
Growth
Job creation, unemployment, and economic growth will be a major
concern of Congress in 2002. Americans always prefer the
independence of a paycheck to being dependent on government
unemployment and welfare checks, and the best "job creation
program" is faster economic growth.
Anyone who has run a business knows how important it is to have workers and capital available for expansion. They also know how much time and money government regulations consume. The ability of businesses to save their income for future expansion, or borrow those funds at low interest rates, can make the difference between success and failure. Likewise, the availability of workers eager to spend more productive time on the job is equally crucial to expansion. However, high taxes and costly regulations drive up the required rate of return on capital and choke off some investments and job opportunities. Only those investments that can make the higher required rate of return are undertaken. Similarly, some Americans will think twice about working and earning more if higher taxes eat-up most of their additional earnings.
Reducing the Burden of
Taxation
We support full implementation of President Bush's tax plan and
acceleration of tax rate reductions to help our economic recovery.
The total tax burden is at near-record levels, marginal tax rates
are far too high, savings and investment are subject to
discriminatory taxation, and needless complexity foments corruption
and adds a hidden compliance tax on the economy. To maintain
America's competitive advantage in the global economy, lawmakers
should reduce the tax burden and reform the tax code. Proposals
that simply give people money, such as rebates and credits, do not
lower the price of productive behavior and therefore have little or
no positive impact on economic performance.
Getting the Federal Budget Under
Control
The General Accounting Office and Congressional Budget Office have
identified hundreds of billions of dollars annually allocated to
agencies and programs that are wasteful, mismanaged or unnecessary.
We support eliminating and consolidating these programs which would
substantially reduce the size and cost of government without
endangering programs that are vital to the national interest.
The budgetary situation has changed,
but commonsense budgeting principals have not. Just as before, the
federal government should reduce taxes, cut wasteful spending,
reform entitlements and fully fund America's national defense
priorities. As quickly as the money arrives.
Strengthening America's Cities and
Suburbs
An expanded federal focus on middle class quality of life issues
would divert attention and resources from those communities still
confronting serious social and economic problems. Existing federal
urban policies are premised on the false notions that all central
cities are in trouble, the problems are beyond the scope of local
initiative, issues are similar from city to city, and more money
will cure them. Favorable findings from the recent census suggest
that much of the urban problems of the post-war era are being
solved through local initiative. America should declare victory and
shut down existing broad-based national, urban programs. In their
place, a new voluntary program, based upon financial incentives
related to achieving quantitative performance measures should
replace it to help those areas still in trouble.
Health Care
A health care system in which government officials make the
decisions simply will not work. Individuals and families must make
their own health care decisions. Policies that advance personal
ownership and control over health plans and benefits within a
framework, such as the health care tax credit, of patient choice
and free market competition must be adopted.
Crime: Cracking Down on
Crime
State and local efforts have proven to be the most successful in
fighting crime. Current federal crime prevention programs are in
desperate need of reform. Many federal programs, such as COPS, need
to be abolished, and more funds need to be allocated to the states
in order to effectively fight crime.
Social Security: Improving
Retirement Income
Social Security is approaching financial crisis. Younger and
minority workers will not receive sufficient returns for their
payroll taxes in the near future. Workers must be allowed to invest
a large part of their existing retirement taxes in personal
retirement accounts. Current retirees' benefits should not be
reduced and minimum standards must be met through social security
reform.
Welfare: Completing Welfare
Reform
Congress will re-authorize welfare later this year. We must not
return to a welfare system that exacerbates social problems by
rewarding non-work and non-marriage. Welfare reforms initiated in
1996 must be expanded, and recipient requirements must be
toughened. Welfare reform policies can make a huge difference to
many social problems facing America today.
Regulation: Reining in the
Regulators
The immense federal regulatory bureaucracy imposes its burden on
all Americans. Unsound regulation results in exorbitant regulatory
costs, which lower productivity and slow economic growth. The
federal regulatory system must be open, transparent and accountable
while maximizing benefits, minimizing costs and making smarter
decisions regarding social regulation and industry targets. The
relentless rise in the volume and costs of regulations demands that
Congress must make regulatory reform a priority.
Energy: Achieving Energy
Independence
The United States faces a growing imbalance between supply and
demand of energy. Sufficient and reliable supplies of energy are
vital to national security. Responsible stewardship of the nation's
natural resources, diversity of fuel sources, regulatory reform and
sound trade policies must be incorporated into national energy
policy. Energy policy must be a national priority.
Homeland Security: Securing the
American Homeland
The federal government must work with state and local agencies to
assist them in acquiring the tools they need to be effective
first-responders to a terrorist attack. The U.S. must also prepare
for terrorist attacks involving weapons of mass destruction, and
must mobilize the National Guard as the nation's key homeland
defense response mechanism. Additionally, the entry and border
security systems of the United States, including the visa and entry
process, require significant reform.
Missile Defense: Building a Layered,
Global System
The importance of developing and deploying a global architecture
composed of a layered missile defense system remains a critical
defense requirement for an effective Homeland security policy. To
facilitate rapid deployment of a U.S. missile defense program the
Bush administration should continue supporting U.S.-Russian
cooperation on missile defense, at the same time strongly opposing
any restrictive management requirements offered by Congress or
other restrictions designed to alter the new program.
Defense Budget: Maintaining U.S.
Military Strength
The United States must modernize and transform its current armed
forces, by means of a sustained and robust defense budget, to be
prepared for an unpredictable future. The Department of Defense's
Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) lays out a clear strategy to
diversify force projection and achieve a necessary level of
readiness.
Trade: Promoting a Prosperous
America
The United States continues to lag behind other countries in free
trade agreements. Trade promotes sound foreign policy and helps to
foster adherence to the rule of law. Domestically, trade gives
Americans higher paying jobs and provides increased incomes for
American families. The U.S. should seek new trade agreements to
lower tariffs and barriers on the our exports. Priorities should
include implementing a Global Free Trade Association, establishment
of additional bilateral agreements, and continued liberalization of
the World Trade Organization.
The Middle East
The Middle East is a volatile and dangerous region posing serious
threats to U.S. interests and regional stability. Islamic
extremists groups, and the states that harbor them, the failed
Arab-Israeli peace process, and Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's
clandestine program to build weapons of mass destruction all pose a
significant danger to global security. In 2003, the United States
should relentlessly uproot terrorist groups and punish the states
that support them through isolation and military reprisals. The
U.S. must work to overthrow Saddam Hussein's dictatorship in
Iraq.
U.S.-Russia Relations
Russia's immediate pledge of support and continued contribution to
the war effort have helped transcend cold war mentalities. The Bush
administration should continue to encourage Russian integration
into the global economy and the international security system by
supporting Russian integration with the West through WTO membership
and develop a road map for Russian cooperation with NATO that goes
beyond the 1994 Partnership for Peace (PfP) respectively.
U.S.-China Relations
The United States seeks good relations with China. In some areas,
the United States and China share common interests, such as
pursuing free trade and seeking stability in the Korean Peninsula.
However, the United States and China have diametrically opposed
interests, with the United States seeking to ensure open seas and
freedom of navigation and to support democracy in Taiwan, while
China seeks to expand its influence-by force, if necessary. China's
economic growth relies heavily on trade with the United States;
therefore, Washington must not be bullied into compromising key
strategic, political and economic interests in Asia. The United
States should stand firm when China takes coercive actions.
European and NATO
Relations
The events of September 11 reinforced America's security
commitment to its NATO allies. However, the changing dynamics of
the post-Cold War era and the intervention in the Balkans reveal
the need for reform within the NATO alliance. The Bush
administration should support a policy favoring European defense
integration through ESDP to help alleviate burden-sharing problems
within NATO, and extend NATO membership to countries that meet
select criteria in a cautious and incremental expansion
program.
Western Hemisphere-U.S. Relations:
Improving Security and Economic Opportunity
Democracy and stability are in trouble in South America. Crime and
terrorism are now rampant in the region. In 2003 the United States
must implement a long-term strategy to promote democratic
institutions, expand free markets, modernize hemispheric security
to defeat terrorism, improve cooperation with Mexico and Canada on
migration, and help Colombia eradicate drugs and defeat its
terrorist armies to bring stability to the region.
U.S. Policy and the United
Nations
The U.S. relationship with the United Nations remains tumultuous,
although the events of September 11 forced renewed cooperation.
While some of the UN's criticism of the U.S. has been muted, UN
reform remains partial. Ongoing issues that require resolution
include enlisting UN support for America's war on terrorism, giving
due scrutiny to proposed expansion of international law and
authority of international bureaucracies, ensuring that UN
peacekeeping missions are restricted to appropriate circumstances,
and continued pursuit of reform.