Adam Smith: “Fiscal responsibility must be a guiding principle of our government. My constituents have told me again and again that…”

“Fiscal responsibility must be a guiding principle of our government. My constituents have told me again and again that government must live within its means and balance the budget. I agree and have consistently fought for more fiscal discipline. That is why I am voting against permanent repeal of the estate tax. I have always supported estate tax cuts--I authored legislation to completely eliminate the estate tax for all family farms and businesses, and have consistently voted to cut and even eliminate it altogether in years past. However, this vote today is simply another step down the path of fiscal irresponsibility. In the past year and a half, our economy has been in recession and was further damaged by the terrorist attacks surrounding September 11. Instead of responding with tough choices and fiscal discipline, however, Congress and the Administration have responded by passing a $15 billion airline bailout bill, a $30 billion supplemental appropriations bill, a very wasteful and bloated farm bill, and a tax cut that will cost $2 trillion over the next ten years.”