August 11, 2006 5:55PM 

# Fiscal Conservatives, Again 

By [David Boaz](https://www.cato.org/people/david-boaz) 

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The often astute *Washington Post* columnist Steven Pearlstein [writes](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/10/AR2006081001675.html) that Rep. Benjamin Cardin (D‑MD), a candidate for the Senate, is “a budget-balancing fiscal conservative.”

Well. According to the National Taxpayers Union, Cardin [voted ](http://www.ntu.org/misc_items/rating/VS_2005.pdf)13 percent of the time to restrain taxes and spending in 2005, making him slightly more spendthrift than the average Democratic House member. He has [introduced](http://www.ntu.org/downloads/BT109-2_Alpha.pdf) 42 bills in this Congress to raise spending, and one bill that would cut spending. It’s true that he has supported some IRS and budget process reforms, but he has not supported a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution.

As [I wrote last week](https://www.cato.org/2006/08/03/ned-lamont-fiscal-conservative/), the search for a fiscally conservative Democrat continues.

Meanwhile, a [headline in the *Post*](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/10/AR2006081001508.html) reads:

“President Remains Eager to Cut Entitlement Spending”

Honestly, it’s like reporters are Charlie Brown and Bush is Lucy, pulling the football away time after time. Bush promises to control spending, then increases spending by 48 percent. Bush promises to control spending, then passes a multi-trillion-dollar expansion of Medicare. Bush says, “We need to cut entitlement spending,” and he gets a six-column headline in the *Post*.

##### Related Tags 

[Government and Politics](https://www.cato.org/government-politics), [Tax and Budget Policy](https://www.cato.org/tax-budget-policy) 

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