Seems Gibbons doesn't trust Taxpayers'
Inside Liberty Watch Today - Feb. 17, 2006

First off, I must apologize to Congressman Jim Gibbons. In a recent column I insinuated that Mr. Gibbons was avoiding debating with his opponents, using the lame "I have a previous commitment" excuse. Gibbons said he was at a homeland security meeting at the Nevada test-site. A call to the test site verified the meeting and Mr. Gibbons was there. So, Jim please accept my apology.

It seems our esteemed Congressman has finally waken up from under the ether and decided to take a stance on the Tax and Spending Control (TASC) initiative. After 57 days of avoiding the issue, Gibbons (or his handlers) has decided to oppose TASC.

Let's forget for a minute that the polling support for TASC is in the 70% range or the fact that TASC would protect taxpayers from power hungry bureaucrats. I want to give the Congressman the benefit of doubt. Unlike Chancellor Jim Rogers, I believe that Jim Gibbons is a smart guy. But, I just can't put my arms around why he won't support TASC. I guess TASC is too complicated a pill for Gibbons to swallow. 

Tax and Spending Control sounds pretty sinister all right, so let's take a look at the meat of the language. TASC limits government spending by the percentage of population growth plus inflation, unless voters approve an additional increase. 

Ah ha, that's it; it must be the "Voters" provision in the language. Gibbons learned back in Washington that you can't allow voters to make decisions concerning how their money is spent. Heck they might do something stupid like, well, stop the out-of-control bureaucratic spending. It seems that from looking at the language Mr. Gibbons' opposition of TASC is a real slap in the taxpayer face. 

Maybe Congressman Gibbons' has spent too much time back in D.C. and has forgotten just why we elected him in the first place. So let me remind him. Jim, we elected you to protect taxpayers, not to increase the power of bureaucrats. It's obvious you've disconnected yourself from the concerns of Nevadans. You are a smart guy despite what the establishment thinks about you. Don't let them turn you into their puppet. You still have time to redeem yourself by standing up for taxpayers.

It's hard to stand up to special interest donors but you might consider this, it will be much harder for you to explain to the citizens of the great Silver State why you don't trust them with their own money. 

Continue as a tool for the elite and you'll only be remembered as the guy wanting to continue Governor Guinn's out-of control bureaucratic culture of taxing and spending.

George Harris Editor