As Calif. Goes On Tax Hike, So Will Nation<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

By MICHAEL REAGAN
Join Mike's e-mail alert list at www.reagan.com Reagan is the son of President Ronald Reagan and a radio talk show host. He is spokesman of Action for America. www.reagan.com
Americans from all walks of life are becoming increasingly frustrated at having to budget their own households while footing the bill for politicians and corporations who can't do so themselves.
In my home state of California, things have gotten so bad that a Republican governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, is urging support for a massive $16 billion tax hike that is deceptively masquerading as a measure to put a lid on out-of-control government spending. 

Should that really surprise anyone?  After all, during the presidential campaign, Barack Obama sold the people on wealth redistribution and the expansion of the welfare state by deceptively calling for tax cuts for 95% of all working Americans.

However, if approximately 35% (or more) of the working families in America are getting a check (or a bigger check) from the government, from where is that money coming? As candidate Obama told Joe the Plumber, in an unintentional moment of frankness, he's just going to "spread the wealth around."

So, if Obama could get away with that little bit of spin, then why not call a massive tax-increase a measure to control government spending? And if politicians in California can get away with this little tax-and-spend subterfuge, then what does that mean for taxpayers across the nation?

This may be the first time you've heard of Proposition 1A, but I can assure you the spend-happy politicians in Washington know about it.  In fact, Speaker Nancy Pelosi has campaigned for its passage and stated that "Proposition 1A is right on time."

Be assured, the speaker's "right on time" remark is a precursor of things to come for all Americans in the coming months and years if a strong and vigorous opposition is not mounted.

We don't want, nor can we afford, a repeat of Prop. 1A on the national level.

Thankfully, Californians are prepared to take the fight to Speaker Pelosi and the rest of the budget-averse California leaders as they head to the polls Tuesday.  I am confident that our message of No Way to Prop. 1A will rally support at the polls and defeat this effort to pass the largest single state tax increase in our nation's history.

While the first battle will be waged here in Sacramento, the real fight is only beginning.  In state capitals across our country, and eventually to our nation's capital, we will have to push back against the attempts of politicians to exceed their budgets and tax and spend American families further away from prosperity - simply to feed their insatiable appetite for spending. 

Last month, I addressed a crowd of over 5,000 patriotic Americans (Republicans, Democrats and Independents) at a Sacramento tea party that roared when I sent a message to Gov. Schwarzenegger. 

My message: "Arnold, you are no Ronald Reagan."

You see, about 30 years ago, Californians struck a similar blow against higher taxes through another ballot initiative called Proposition 13.  My father helped champion this effort, which many believe was the opening salvo in what became known as the Reagan Revolution.

Amazingly, the Reagan Revolution started with an initiative to cut taxes in California, and my father rode that wave all the way to the Oval Office.
And once in office, my father stuck to his guns by making across-the-board tax cuts one of his first acts in office.  Later, in an address to the nation, he likened federal spending to the allowance of a child:

"Well, we can lecture our children about extravagance until we run out of voice and breath.  Or we can cure their extravagance simply by reducing their allowance."

On Tuesday in California, we are going to reduce the allowance of our state government - forcing them to curb their extravagant spending habits.  Just as each of us are required to do in our own lives. 

These Reagan principles that guided the Republican Party during the 1980s can and should serve as the foundation of the 21st century Republican Party - a party that proudly stood for fiscal responsibility and fought to lower the tax burden placed on American families and small businesses.

But it will take action on our part to get back there - starting with Tuesday's fight against Proposition 1A.

And as was done during the era of Ronald Reagan and Jack Kemp, we will ride this wave of momentum to a nationwide campaign resulting in sound fiscal policy and an America that rewards productivity rather than punishes it.

So as you glance at Tuesday's election results on your late-night news, remember that as goes California's defeat of a measure to increase state taxes, so goes Washington's hopes to do the same.

Join Mike's e-mail alert list at www.reagan.com Reagan is the son of President Ronald Reagan and a radio talk show host. He is spokesman of Action for America. www.reagan.com