Grover Norquist - How to Halve Government Spending in This Generation

It's not about "cutting spending", but about positive reforms.

by Grover Norquist
August 3, 2006

The modern conservative movement's goal is to cut the cost of government as a percentage of the economy in half over the next 25 years -- one generation.

Why then has federal spending as a percentage of national income increased from 19 percent in 2000 to 23 percent in 2006 while Republicans controlled the House, Senate and presidency? And this after federal spending as a percentage of national income had fallen from 23 percent to 19 percent from 1992 to 2000 -- with Bill Clinton facing a Republican Congress? Three reasons:

(1) The modern conservative movement consists of the "leave us alone coalition" of groups where regarding their primary, vote-moving issue, what they want from the government is to be left alone. This includes gun owners, small businessmen, taxpayers, property owners and homeschoolers.

Raise taxes as President Bush the elder did and taxpayers leave the room. Challenge gun rights and National Rifle Association (NRA) members leave the ro…