John Kline 'DeKlines' Responsibility

While under John Kline's 'conservative' leadership, the national debt has grown to it's current all time record high of $8.4 TRILLION DOLLARS! (this morning's number). In 2005, the U. S. spent $352 Billion on the debts interest payments alone. Compare that to NASA at $15 Billion, Education at $61 Billion, and Department of Transportation at $56 Billion.

Congressman John Kline’s website tries to 'dekline' responsibility (and reality!) by stating: "A strong fiscal conservative, John Kline understands how the federal deficit, created by years of over-spending, is a threat to the long-term health of our economy. "

But the FACTS during Kline's tenure present a very different picture than his words:

• Before Kline came to office, the U.S. was not running a deficit
• Each American's share of this debt is $28,143.34 (includes children).
• The National Debt increases an average of $1.71 billion per day
• The federal deficit has borrowed more than $1.6 trillion from the Social Security Trust Fund, and Republicans are warning that it's going to be hard or impossible to pay it back.

This Chart shows that the huge rise in our National Debt coinciding with Bu$hCo and John Kline's time in office (Nov 2002):

With the national debt high and rising, repaying the debt to Social Security would require borrowing from private markets and very large cuts in other government programs. Social Security is not part of the Federal Budget general fund. It is a separate account and has its own source of income. Social Security payments do not go into the general fund, they go in the Social Security trust fund.

The trust fund is supposed to be used to pay future benefits. But....keep reading....Currently, there is more being payed into the Social Security Trust Fund than is being paid out to beneficiaries. What's left over is routinely being "borrowed" and used as if it were general budget revenue. Government agencies using that money promise to pay it back (IOUs). All of the money in the Social Security Trust Fund has been spent! That's part of the National Debt.

Also while under Kline's 'conservative' leadership:

• Bu$hCo (including Kline) gave tax cuts for the rich.

So how do we fix this growing debt problem? The best way to fix this problem is to vote those responsible for our record American debt (like Kline) out of office. It's time for a change. Even Reagan realized that a national debt is "leaving our children with an unrepayable massive debt and a shattered economy." Minnesota want and deserve better for their families and community.