Kasich Campaign Press Release - Union Leader Op-Ed (John Kasich): Balancing the Budget is a Moral Imperative

Balancing the Budget is a Moral Imperative

The Union Leader — 10/23/15

This month, I introduced a comprehensive and real plan to balance the federal budget; shift money, power and influence out of Washington; and grow our economy. Under my plan, America would have a balanced budget for the first time in 15 years.

Balancing the federal budget is a moral imperative that politicians in both political parties have ignored for decades because they are unwilling to make the hard decisions. As a result of politicians' unwillingness to control spending, every child born in America today is saddled with $57,000 in debt. It is fundamentally wrong to burden our children and grandchildren with our debts because we are unable to say no to more spending.

I know we can balance the budget because I've done it before — in Ohio and in Congress. In the '90s, I was Budget Chairman of the House Budget Committee and served as the chief architect of the first balanced budget since man walked on the moon. When I left Washington we had a projected $5 trillion surplus. I could not fathom Washington blowing through that money, but they did. In a rare instance of bipartisanship, Republican and Democrats worked together to spend the surplus and create record debt.

When I became governor of Ohio our state faced an $8 billion budget hole — nearly 20 percent of our revenue. Many said we could not solve the deficit without raising taxes, but we found a better way. We transformed government and made the hard decisions necessary to balance our budget. Today, the $8 billion budget hole is a $2 billion surplus — and we have cut taxes by $5 billion the most of any sitting governor.

Ohio now has the fewest government employees in 30 years. We've controlled the growth of Medicaid. According to media reports after adjusting for inflation and population growth, we actually shrunk the size of Ohio's government.

We can and must balance the federal budget again. I'm the only candidate with a plan to make it happen. My proposal freezes non-defense discretionary spending and sends money, power and influence back to the states. Education, transportation, Medicaid, welfare, and job training will be transferred back to the states because I believe that New Hampshire can make better decisions on those issues than unelected bureaucrats in Washington.

We will also reform entitlements. Our reforms will curb the growth of Medicare and Medicaid — major cost drivers for the federal government.

As we balance the budget for the first time in a generation we will also invest more in defense. It is vital that we rebuild our military to meet the threats of the 21st century. The world needs a strong America and my budgets will make sure our military is strengthened.

We will also cut taxes for individuals and businesses to boost our economy. We will kill the death tax. We will restore America's global competitiveness so we grow jobs here at home and businesses don't ship them overseas. We will encourage innovation and risk-taking by job creators and we will rein in the IRS so it treats all taxpayers fairly.

By making the hard decisions, sending power back to the states, and growing our economy, we will balance America's budget within eight years. I have a plan to balance the budget. It will take leadership, vision and courage. But, we know it can be done because we've done it before.

Read the original op-ed here.