This is an opinion column
Alabama Governor George Wallace quipped there’s not a dime’s worth of difference between Republicans and Democrats.
Wallace’s words are prophetic on America’s debt issue. Democrat debt junkies rush to push America over a devastating financial cliff. Republican debt junkies do the same but at a little slower pace. Either way, the result is the same: a debilitating national bankruptcy and insolvency that ushers in America’s worst era in history.
While this Op Ed focusses on Republicans, please do not get me wrong. Democrats are horrific on deficit and debt. But voters already know that.
Instead, I focus on the Republican debt record in hopes of persuading voters to force Republicans to do better.
How bad is the GOP debt record? I emphasize two of many data points.
First, is President Trump’s first term. Despite promising to balance the budget and pay off the national debt “over a period of eight years,” Trump added $6.3 trillion more debt, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Instead of America’s annual deficits getting better under Trump, they grew steadily worse each year and Trump’s new, accumulated $6.3 trillion debt total was the worst 4-year presidential span in history . . . until Biden.
Second, is the Trump and GOP 2025 budget (H.Con.Res. 14).
The GOP plan increases (not cuts!) annual federal spending by roughly $600 billion during Trump’s term and roughly $2 trillion over the next decade under Section 1001(3).
The next section, 1001(4), reveals that the best-case GOP annual deficit over the next ten years is $1.8 trillion. That’s terrible.
Then Section 1001 (5) reveals that the GOP hopes total debt is “only” $43.7 trillion by FY 2028 and $55.6 trillion by FY 2034. That’s worse than terrible.
Let’s do the math. America’s debt is $36.2 trillion. The GOP seeks to rack up $7.5 trillion in new debt during Trump’s current term and $19.4 trillion debt in ten years! Adjectives just don’t describe how bad these goals are.
In stark contrast, the bill’s Section 4002 notes “The United States faces a significant debt crisis … that … poses a significant risk to the country’s long-term fiscal sustainability, with implications for future generations.” It also states that FY 2025 “net interest (on the debt) will total $952 billion.” Since total U.S. tax revenue in FY 2024 was $4.9 trillion, America’s debt service cost translates into spending 19% of all USA tax collections on debt service! Debt service cost is already more than every federal expense other than Social Security. And, over time, debt service cost will get worse; much, much worse.
GOP Words Versus Deeds Contrast
Alabama’s GOP Representatives and senators all voted for a budget with “unsustainable” debt even though they all promised Alabama voters the exact opposite. Their words versus deeds contrast is stark.
And, for emphasis, “unsustainable” is the Government Accountability Office’s word, not mine. “Perpetually rising debt as a share of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is unsustainable,” reported the nonpartisan GAO just last month. “It has many direct and indirect implications for the economy, American households, and individuals. Risks include slower economic growth and increased chances of a fiscal crisis.”
Now here’s a look at the stark contrast in words and deeds.
Rep. Barry Moore:
I “will vote against” (Joe Biden’s bill to) “saddle Americans with $4 trillion in new debt and kick the can down the road for two more years. … We must stand up … and … protect our children and grandchildren from generations of burdensome debt."
“Our national debt reaching $35 trillion is a direct result of President Biden and the Uniparty’s reckless spending that will only punish our children and grandchildren, who will be forced to inherit our nation’s financial burden. … Our national debt is one of the greatest threats to our country’s future, and I will continue to fight for fiscal responsibility in Washington."
Rep. Dale Strong:
“When I ran for Congress, one of my top priorities was to stop the out-of-control Washington spending. We cannot let Joe Biden continue to spend future generations into further debt. I voted against this (Biden) debt limit increase because I want to send a clear message that we cannot keep doing business as usual in Washington or we will bankrupt our country.”
Rep. Gary Palmer:
“We must end the era of endless deficits and debt that is spiraling out of control. The national debt has risen by almost 50 percent in the past six years alone.”
“Congress has repeatedly ignored the debt crisis … in exchange for temporary funding bills. … These (Biden) bills … are devoid of necessary constraints on spending at a time when our national debt is over $34 trillion. I made a commitment to vote for sound policy and to reduce wasteful government spending. Unfortunately, this bill misses the mark.”
Rep. Mike Rogers:
“The president’s (Obama) budget would lock in deficit spending, increase the tax burden … – all while adding $8.3 trillion to our national debt over the life of his plan. This isn’t a budget; it is a blueprint to bankruptcy. The American people know what it means to live on a budget and deserve better. … Washington doesn’t have a revenue problem; it has a spending problem.”
Rep. Robert Aderholt:
“The Democrats’ budget … would never balance. Washington cannot spend its way to prosperity, nor can we tax our way to a balanced budget. We simply have to cut government spending and we have to do it today to ensure our children and grandchildren will live in a stable, successful America they can be proud of.”
Senator Tommy Tuberville:
“We’re $23 trillion in debt. … If we don’t get a handle on our deficit, we’re going to be in serious trouble in just a short amount of time."
“Our nation is nearly $35 trillion in debt. We’ve got to get a handle on our spending, and this (Biden) bill is all talk and no action. … For these reasons, I voted no. The status quo is unsustainable, and this bill is more of the same. It paves the way for America’s continued decline.”
Senator Katie Britt:
I save Britt, the worst, for last. I well-remember her “I am a fiscal conservative; Mo Brooks is not” claims against me in the 2022 GOP Primary for U.S. Senate and my regret that I lacked the funding to set the record straight against her special interest funding tidal wave.
But now is a good time to display the chasm between Britt’s promises to get elected and deeds in office. To get elected, Britt crowed in one news release:
“The federal government’s reckless, wasteful spending has reached unprecedented levels, and we cannot lose sight of the fact that they are giving away money we do not have on the backs of our children and our children’s children.”
“This is a moral failing and an existential crisis with grave economic and national security implications. It’s time to bring some Alabama common sense to Washington and hold Congress’ feet to the fire – if they don’t balance the budget, they shouldn’t get paid.”
“We’ve all heard the doomsday warnings about the debt for years, but this time truly is worse than ever. Our country has never seen this level of rampant spending — and on this magnitude of existing debt.
Elsewhere, Britt claimed “I’ll fight to … end the reckless spending that’s fueling inflation. … If Washington politicians can’t even get the most basic part of their jobs right, they shouldn’t get a dime of taxpayer money.”
Britt continued her masquerade with her costly “No Balanced Budget, No Paycheck” campaign ad wherein she said, “If Washington politicians don’t balance the budget, they shouldn’t get paid.”
Fiscal conservatives grimace every time they read yet another Britt news release boasting about spending money America does not have, must borrow to get, and can’t afford to pay back, a duplicity that continually soars to dizzying new heights.
Britt repeated often that politicians who don’t balance the budget shouldn’t get paid. Britt has not balanced the budget. To the contrary, Britt’s actions and votes continually make America’s debt worse, not better. Has Britt declined her senate salary as promised or was she merely pandering to get votes? That’s a question every voter should ask.
Conclusion
I hope readers have gleaned these two observations.
First, Alabama’s GOP politicians in Congress tout a common theme. If it is a Democrat debt bill, it is bad. If it is a GOP debt bill, it is good. Think about that. Are debts partisan? Are Republican debts easier to pay back? Nope.
Second, GOP politicians’ anti-debt statements were all uttered when America’s debt was smaller and less dangerous. Since the debt threat is worse, shouldn’t GOP officials vote “No” on even worse spending and debt? One could only hope.
There is a huge chasm between GOP politicians’ words and deeds.
Alabama voters have two choices: continue to play the fool by electing those who say one thing to get elected while doing another in office, or elect people whose deeds reflect their words.
I urge the latter. America’s future depends on it.
Mo Brooks served on the House Armed Services Committee for 12 years and the Foreign Affairs Committee for 6 years. Brooks graduated from Duke University in 3 years with a double major in political science and economics (highest honors in economics).