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withdraw from both the World Bank and the IMF and terminate its financial contribution to both institutions.

If the US. is to provide economic assistance or humanitarian aid to other nations, it should do so unilaterally—not through the pass-throughs of international aid organizations, non-governmental organizations, or other nations. These organizations and countries simply create expensive middle-men, while U.S. funds are intercepted before being distributed to those in need. Also, these foreign entities have interests that do not coincide with American national security and economic interests.

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY

Treasury should make balancing the federal budget a mission-critical objective. The federal budget absorbs enormous resources from the economy, both in money taken from taxpayers and in money borrowed. The budget should be balanced by driving down federal spending while maintaining a strong national defense and not raising taxes.

To reduce interest payments on the debt, Treasury should lock in current relatively low interest rates by issuing longer duration bonds, and even consider creating a 50-year treasury bill. Most of the federal debt rolls over on average about every three to four years. But interest rates, even with the latest Federal Reserve rate increases, are still below the 5 percent historical average. Treasury would thus save taxpayers money during the next several decades by issuing fewer short-term notes that will probably have to be rolled over at higher rates in the future.

To promote transparency of finances, each year Americans should receive a financial statement of the U.S. government alerting citizens of the revenues, expenditures, deficit, and debt for the preceding fiscal year. The statement should also include this individual family’s pro-rata share of the debt based on family size.

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS

The Treasury must act more assertively in international financial institutions to protect and advance U.S. national interests—and oppose those that do not. It should employ acarrot-and-stick approach by increasing its activity and commitment to those financial institutions that are willing and able to adjust to this new approach and by zeroing out or potentially exiting those institutions that rely on U.S. capital while advancing agendas that run counter to US. interests.

• Amajor emphasis of effecting this change must be the addition of a large new cadre of U.S. professionals and contractors at these international

financial institutions.

• TheU.S. must insist on the hiring and support of this human capital as a condition to future funding.