Harry Mitchell for Fiscal Discipline.

This morning, the District 20 Democrats held the last in their series of "Donuts and Democrats" meetings in Ahwatukee. These get-togethers have been great to showcase candidates and give people the opportunity to interact with them as well as with the issues.

Three candidates were present this morning: Harry Mitchell (for US Congress), Donna Gratehouse (for State Senate) and Ric Boyer (for AZ Corporation Commission). Each of them took a few minutes to share how their campaigns were developing and the key issues.

After the candidates spoke, we had a session to discuss the several Propositions on the ballot. Some good debate on the positions ensued - Democrats are known for their diversity - and it was encouraging to see how vibrant democracy still can be.

During this session, since I had already voted, I took the opportunity to speak further with Harry Mitchell alone. I expressed again my gratitude for his campaign and my fervent hope for his victory. I also took the opportunity to ask him about one of my key issues: fiscal discipline.

I noted that the Democratic leadership in the House has said that re-instituting PAYGO spending protocols would be one of the first priorities if (and when) they regain control of the House. I said it was particularly important to me that we regain control of our spending and asked Harry where he stood on that.

I was overjoyed to hear that Harry emphatically and unequivocally supports reinstitution of PAYGO. Frustrated by the idea of a $9 trillion national debt - that's $30,000 for every man, woman and child in America - Harry Mitchell knows it's critical to restore fiscal discipline to our national budget.

Harry noted that he has diligently balanced 31...that's 31...budgets at the city and state level in his career in public service. So he knows about making tough choices, cutting the fat out of a budget and being disciplined in spending our tax dollars.

I talk to a lot of Republicans who say they're for fiscal discipline and small government. Well, I tell them, you're probably not very happy with what the Republican party has become in the past 12 years, since they got control of the House.

The five largest deficit budgets in our country's history have come out of the Republican congress and signed by a Republican president. Republicans talk a lot about cutting spending, but then work to approve a quarter-billion dollars for a "Bridge to Nowhere" in Alaska and support an elective war based on false pretenses that will cost us a trillion dollars before it's over.

And those much-vaunted tax "cuts"? Well, when you are passing deficit budgets, those taxes will eventually have to be paid, in the future, plus interest. So they're not really tax cuts at all...just tax deferrals. Of course, when they're paid back, it will be the poor and middle class who have to pick up the tab.

Republicans like JD Hayworth have been obstructing PAYGO spending protocols for years, ever since they killed them. Yet they continue to crow about "fiscal discipline", hoping no one will notice that they're only paying lip-service to fiscal responsibility. Meanwhile it's the Democrats that are the ones offering serious, practical fiscal discpline legislation.

Thankfully, it looks like we may soon have a Democratic House, if the polls are accurate. And with Congressman Harry Mitchell, we have another supporter of fiscal responsibility and balanced budgets to represent us.

I'll be phone banking for Harry Mitchell next week. And I urge everyone who believes in fiscal discipline and sane governance to donate, volunteer and vote for Harry Mitchell for US Congress.