The big stink in Washington this week is over the new economic bill currently being passed between the House and the Senate. The trump card of the bill is that it will cut taxes. This upsets the president because he wants to use the extra money for social security. Because we actually have a budget surplus for the first time in eons, the first thing Republicans think of is cutting taxes, and Democrats think about spending. It's a generalist age-old explanation of the two parties, but it's also correct more times than not. And I'm here to say they're both wrong.

Let's start with the tax-cutting Republicans. I hate the idea of cutting taxes. Not because I enjoy giving me hard earned money to the government, but because I don't make enough money for it to make much of a difference. The only people who really benefit from tax cuts are people who make much more money than you and me put together. If the government cuts the tax rate one percentage point across the board, the winners are the rich. If you make $20,000, you would have to pay two hundred dollars less than before the tax cut. While I'll admit it's nice to have a couple extra C notes at the end of a year, it's not going to make or break you. On the other hand, those who make two million dollars a year (and you know who you are) will have to pay $20,000 less in taxes. Who is winning out in this tax cut situation? One hundred of the twenty grand crowd or Mr. Big Bucks? It's the same amount of money.

Instead of cutting taxes, how about raising the poverty level. As it stands now, a single person who makes $7000 is not in poverty, but let me tell you, making a four digit income is not living it up. Why not make the poor carry less of the burden? If the Republicans are so bent on cutting taxes, they should make it so all the people struggling on the low end don't have to worry about Uncle Sam digging deep into shallow pockets. Let the poor be poor for free.

Of course when the Republicans say they want to cut taxes, they want tax cuts for wealthy campaign contributors, conservative middle class families and big businesses. If a politician gets a tax cut across the board, there will be more money left over from these folks to fund their next election. I'd better stop right there before I come up with a conspiracy theory that makes sense.

Now, it's the Democrats' turn. Why is it any time they get a little cash in their hands that they have four or five pet projects waiting to suck up the money? "My district sure could use midnight basketball, twelve more community centers and more cops on the streets." And they know just which construction firms and police gear companies will get the contracts. To them, a penny saved is a penny wasted. Always wanting to get a buck-ten out of every dollar.

Everyone thinks they know what should be done with extra money, and they will get nasty to prove their point. Republican Congressmen are trying to bully the president into passing their plan, while the Democrats talk about saving social security and how volatile the economic plan is. Trent Lott is calling Clinton a "lame duck president," while Democrats call the Republicans dangerous. In the end, all of the Senators are still good friends, and the American public is not sure who to believe.

Well, don't believe any of them. Do you want to know what should be done with the surplus funds? The same thing your parents told you to do with money left over--Save it! Things are not always going to be shiny and rosy in this country. Like it or not, we will have to endure another recession. Natural disasters come by every now and again. Unforeseen problems do occur. Wouldn't it be nice if we had some cash on hand during the lean times to keep things bearable? I know the concept of savings account is foreign to many people, but it shouldn't be for our government. If taxes are lowered now, they will have to be raised later. Why not keep everything steady right now while things are tolerable and have a little bit extra for rainy days down the road? Does it always have to be about cutting taxes or spending? Can't we just be happy that our government didn't lose money this year? Am I always going to have to bring up these questions?

Chris Jungle promises to change his view when the government pays him off--tax free.