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Indiana's Third District
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Congressman Souder's Position
As everyone who looks at the numbers knows, our nation faces a grave problem from long-term deficits and a rising national debt. I believe that the most fundamental and effective solution to the problem is tax relief in conjunction with controlling runaway mandatory spending—and specifically our long-term obligations for Medicare and Social Security. Since 1988, total mandatory spending as a share of the budget has grown from 42 percent to 58 percent. It continues to rise, so much so, that if the government does not change its spending habits, personal income tax rates will be forced to double over the next 20 years. It is my hope that the Medicare reforms Congress passed in 2003 will promote long-term structural change, and that we will find a way to save Social Security, so that massive debts aren’t simply passed on to our children and grandchildren. I also believe that the use of congressional earmarks should be made more transparent. Before Congress votes on a spending bill, we should know which Member of Congress is requesting which project and why.
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