Saturday, June 17, 2006
When the press secretary of a member of Congress sends out an e-mail that contains the word landmark relating to a piece of legislation, the usual reaction from editorial writers is to hit the delete button. But a press release issued June 12 with the self-serving word prompted a second look. That's because it came from the office of U.S. Sen. George V. Voinovich, R-Ohio, who certainly doesn't have a reputation for grabbing the spotlight. Indeed, his long tenure in government -- before he went to Washington Voinovich served two terms as governor -- has been marked by his quiet demeanor and his no-nonsense approach to public service.
Thus, when the release from his office states, "Sen. Voinovich to introduce landmark tax and entitlement reform bill -- Will establish national commission and finally force Congressional action" there is reason to pay attention. Indeed, anyone who has followed his tenure in Congress will not be surprised by his push for such reform. Voinovich has earned a national reputation as a leading deficit hawk on Capitol Hill and has attracted the attention of national reporters for his votes against spending plans presented by his party.
In explaining the "Securing America's Future Economy [SAFE] Commission Act," the Republican senator said, "Last week I voted against the fiscally irresponsible repeal of the estate tax and called on Congress to heed Americans' demand for fundamental tax and entitlement reform. This legislation shows that I'm serious about that call."
Breaking ranks
In May, Voinovich broke ranks with the GOP and its leader, President Bush, to vote against a bill that extended the president's tax cuts for capital gains and dividends for two years. He gave three reasons: the country does not need the tax cuts; it cannot afford the cuts; and, Congress should be working on tax reform rather than enacting tax cuts in a piecemeal fashion.
Thus, the SAFE Commission Act -- a similar measure has been introduced in the House by Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Virginia -- is a natural progression for the senator who has railed against Congress' practice of deficit spending. He has consistently argued that every penny spent must be offset by a penny in revenue.
"As a fiscal conservative, I believe we must focus on simplifying the tax code and ensuring the solvency of our entitlement programs," Voinovich said.
The commission, made up of 15 voting members, will examine those systems and develop long-term solutions to place the nation on a fiscally sustainable course and ensure that entitlement programs are in place for future generations.
But given the way the Republican controlled Congress has been managing the budget, Voinovich's worries are justified. The budget deficit for 2005 was $318 million, the third largest in the nation's history, while the national debt has topped $8 trillion -- and is growing.
The senator is right in pushing for tax and entitlement reform and for wanting the commission to also examine the long-term fiscal challenges facing the United States.
We are particularly intrigued by Voinovich's announcement that the commission will hold a minimum of six town hall meetings throughout the country within one year to get a sense of the extent of the problem and to hear what ideas Americans may have for solving it.
We would hope that one of the meetings is held in the Mahoning Valley, which continues to lag behind the rest of the nation in terms of its economic growth.