How can you justify blowing through town on a fundraiser campaign to scoop up $600,000 in donations given so freely and ride out of here to spend that money somewhere else?

The GOP prides itself on an unwavering tax-cut principle, and you always promise to look for more ways to cut taxes further. You also pride yourself on a "smaller government" pledge to eliminate bloated government intrusions into the day to day functions of American life.

Then you tout traditionally strong support for, and more recently your patriotic duty, to grow the Pentagon - one of the most fiscally irresponsible entities ever created by a federal government. Then you support the creation of a new entity charged with similar and overlapping duties as the Pentagon, into which 22 other federal agencies will merge, to protect our homeland. From atop this new mound of bureaucracy, you show off your new, aggressive proactive approach to "terrorism prevention." Indeed, our hearts go out to the survivors of those 3,100 people who died needlessly at the hands of terrorists last September.

Never too swuft on the social issues of the nation, you balk at any spending increases for public education, indigent care, medical services, childcare, housing needs, environmental concerns, et al. You suggest instead that these things could be better addressed in the private sector without a whole lot of red tape clogging up the process that needs a clear path to fight threats from evildoers. Where is the proactive vision for problem prevention in your social agenda? Healthier people have lower healthcare costs. Educated people know how to protect themselves in such a risk-laden society. Indeed, our hearts go out to the survivors of those 550,000 cancer victims who died needlessly from a preventable disease last year.

But then you come up with things like a voucher program to siphon off more taxpayer funds to let the nation's children have easier access to religious private schools for the chance at a better education, while public school systems sit there to languish in their own lack of vision.

So let me ask the questions a different way. Why are residents in our communities so eager to come off $600,000 to help federal officials get into office to trust them to solve the nation's problems, while demanding further tax cuts and smaller federal government? What are you expecting to gain with these contributions?

Why does the GOP accept this exhorbitant amount of money and take it out of our communities, then demand to cut funding that addresses most of the issues in these communities, all the while knowing that sales tax revenues are tanking in this recession?

How much clarity of vision does it take to draw up a plan that encourages your loyal, wealthy supporters to put that money into their own communities, instead of blowing it on national campaigns that put your people in Washington that want to ignore the problems at home? Huh?

Tell these people to set up some trusts, charitable funds that give ailing polluter corporations a helping hand with their superfund activities, a foundation or two that distributes those funds in each community where they're most needed, one that facilitates your school choice agenda, and give them a nice big whopping tax break for all these good deeds?

Set up some programs based on that good old capitalist ethic that rewards success, to motivate local agencies and organizations to improve efficiency and quality of care and service? Say thanks to the seniors for all they've done for us and this great nation with a little bit of a social security booster?

Why not fund these local domestic issues with the apparent abundance of local resources, rest easy knowing our tax dollars are keeping the twin defense departments fit as a fiddle, and enjoy your upper end tax cuts with a clear conscience?