America Needs a Smaller, More Effective Government

There is a serious need for fiscal discipline in Washington, and we must start setting priorities and curtailing runaway spending.

The federal government is spending money it simply does not have. Average citizens cannot do this, and the federal government should not be allowed to do this either.

Serious reform is needed to ensure that future generations will not be burdened with debt. We can improve America's fiscal future by eliminating waste, fraud and abuse, and reforming entitlement spending.

Eliminate waste, fraud and abuse

Waste, fraud and abuse are rampant in the federal budgets from year to year. One way to tackle this problem is to create a government waste commission.

The Commission on the Accountability and Review of Federal Agencies (CARFA) would address this problem by applying the military base-closing model to domestic spending. CARFA would appoint a commission to compile a list of unnecessary, outdated, wasteful or duplicative discretionary programs. Congress would then vote up-or-down to eliminate all programs on the list.

Reform entitlement spending

As our nation grows older, the costs of our entitlement programs will continue to skyrocket and continue on a path to completely consume the budget in about two decades. That leaves no funding for national security, transportation or any other priorities.

For the sake of future generations, we need to put our entitlements on a stable financial path.

One way to control entitlement spending is to apply a means test to the Medicare prescription drug program and require the wealthiest seniors to pay a larger share of their premiums.

Also, as a matter of fairness to the American taxpayer and responsibility with the tax dollars they send to Washington, we should not allow the U.S. Treasury to cuts checks to people here illegally. For example, illegal immigrants should not receive Social Security benefits accrued under fraudulent documentation.

Accomplishments

• Co-founded the Senate's Fiscal Watch Team in 2005
• 92% lifetime rating from Citizens Against Government Waste (the 4th highest rating in the U.S. Senate)

Help John Ensign restore fiscal discipline.