Scott Rasmussen is best known as a public opinion pollster and the author of the
Rasmussen Reports. So his latest book might seem like a departure until you realize that
he has used polling data to plot how America could eventually balance the budget and
eliminate the national debt. It would take tough choices which he believes the voters
would accept if done within certain limits.

He was on my radio program to talk about his book, The People’s Money: How
Voters Will Balance the Budget and Eliminate the Federal Debt. The word that kept
surfacing in our interview was the word “disconnect.” It is obvious that there is a major
disconnect between the political class and the voters. Another word that surfaced was the
word “deception.” Scott Rasmussen has a whole chapter on “How the Political Class
Deceives.” This can easily be illustrated by the different meaning given to key financial
terms.

For example, the phrase balanced budget means something different among the
political class compared to the standard definition. The federal deficit most recently was
listed as $1.6 trillion. But he points out that the government actually went into debt that
year by $5 trillion. Even if the federal budget were officially “balanced” it would have
actually fallen another $3 trillion in debt.

Scott Rasmussen does point the way for politicians who really are serious about
balancing the budget. Voters generally realize we have a problem and are willing within
certain limits to address the major budget items of national defense, Medicare, and Social
Security. But they also want to fix the current tax system and end corporate welfare. And
they against any more bailouts even when the administration tries to argue they were
necessary.

The biggest problem is that the political class has not taken the time to listen to
what the American people are saying. They think they know what should be a winning
strategy, but are often making the wrong assumptions. There is a “disconnect” between
them and the voters. I’m Kerby Anderson, and that’s my point of view.