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Federal spending is the problem in D.C.

To the editor:

After watching CSPAN, TV news and reading newspapers recently I have heard and read the word bipartisan more times than I can count. Acknowledging that in our form of government few things can be accomplished on a strictly partisan basis, it seems to me that much of what the federal government is doing on a bipartisan basis is not necessarily good fiscal government.

We have repeated bipartisan Continuing Resolutions, bipartisan deficit spending that increases the debt (nearing $21 trillion), and a bipartisan agreement to suspend the debt limit and borrow more. Our Constitution was written to limit government involvement in our lives and protect individual liberty, not as a solution to whatever ails us or to satisfy almost every constituency that has a lobbyist in Washington DC.

The way I see it federal spending is the problem. It distorts incentives of individuals and businesses by consuming scarce resources that could be used for private investment to increase gross domestic product (GDP) and grow the economy. I think the answer is to limit federal spending to a fixed percentage of GDP, only to be exceeded in the event of a declared emergency and after approval by a super majority vote in both houses of Congress.

Bob Jentges

North Mankato

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