[PBzeer]

There's a simple reason that spending increases. It's that the federal government has inserted itself into too much of what should be state level spending. Much of which is only constitutional due to the bastardization of the Interstate Commerce Clause.

Now, we have a president who's stated goal is to expand government, with the resulting need for ever more money from the taxpayers. Conservatives aren't anti-tax, as they are often portrayed, but against excessive taxes that fund functions that aren't the province of the federal government. We have gone from a bottom up tax system, to a top down one.

To me, education is a prime example. As the level of federal dollars has increased, the level of achievement has steadily decreased. The solution, to Washington is, spend more. There isn't a federal social program that doesn't cite the mantra of "we didn't spend enough", as the reason for it's lack of success.

Fiscal responsibility starts at the local level, not the federal, and taxes should reflect that. I'd much prefer higher local and state taxes, over higher federal ones.