In Washington, tough talk is cheap — but debt isn’t.
For years, Alabama’s representatives in U.S. Congress have branded themselves as fiscal conservatives. Most notably, Rep. Gary Palmer. He talks about waste, rails against bloated budgets, and warns of America’s unsustainable spending. But when the cameras are off and the votes are cast, the record tells a different story.
Palmer has repeatedly voted for bills that add trillions to our national debt — not because they serve the American people, but because they serve GOP leadership. He’s not alone in this habit, but for someone who claims to fight for limited government, the contradiction is hard to ignore.
Take the recent “Big Beautiful Bill.” According to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, the bill could add over $3.1 trillion to the national debt over the next decade — even more if key provisions are extended. Palmer’s committee — the House Energy and Commerce Committee — had a real opportunity to lead. Their task was straightforward: if Republicans were going to extend tax relief to Americans, they had to make tough choices to cut federal spending. But the committee chose the easy path. Rather than immediately curbing government growth, they initially delayed key spending cuts for years.
Despite a handful of holdouts managing to accelerate some cuts — without Palmer’s help, the bill still adds hundreds of billions more to the debt before a single dollar is saved — if that day ever comes. We’ve seen this before: promised cuts that quietly disappear once the headlines fade.
This isn’t fiscal responsibility. It’s political convenience dressed up as leadership.
Look closer, and the pattern gets worse.
In 2024, Palmer voted against H.R. 2882 under President Biden, citing excessive spending. But just a year later, he voted for H.R. 1968 under President Trump — a bill that extended and even increased the very same spending levels. The only thing that changed was the party in power. That’s not conviction. That’s partisan loyalty at the expense of principle — and future generations.
And it’s not the first time. Palmer has also voted for bills in the past that made headlines for targeting Obamacare but did little or nothing to address the broader issue of government overspending. For all the talk about repealing and replacing, the reality is that Washington kept spending — and Palmer kept voting with them.
This is exactly why we need leaders who put people over party. We didn’t choose the Republican Party because it has an “R” next to its name — we chose it because of the values it claimed to stand for: limited government, liberty, and responsibility. When party leadership veers from those values, it’s our duty to stick with principle — not fall in line.
The national debt grew by nearly $8 trillion in Trump’s first term. I was hoping this time would be different. But it’s starting to feel like we’re heading down the same road. And too many in Congress, including Rep. Palmer, are still choosing to look the other way.
When government spending stays high and revenues drop, the deficit grows. And when deficits grow, so does the national debt. That debt isn’t some abstract number — it’s a delayed tax. It’s money borrowed in our name that our children will be expected to repay. Higher interest rates, fewer economic opportunities, and a diminished future for the next generation — that’s the real cost of this “tax relief” without discipline.
And now the rest of the world is noticing, too. At our latest 20-year Treasury auction, foreign governments demanded interest rates above 5 percent — the highest since 2023 — just to keep lending us money. Why? Because they’re losing confidence that Washington can manage its debt. They see the dysfunction, the endless spending, and the refusal to make hard choices — and they’re raising the price of our borrowing accordingly. When America’s credit looks shaky, the world demands a premium. That premium gets passed down to families trying to buy homes, start businesses, or borrow for college.
This isn’t about opposing tax cuts. I believe in putting more money back in the hands of working Americans. But we can’t pretend we’ve done our job if we cut taxes today and ignore the consequences tomorrow. Real conservatives don’t pass the bill to their grandchildren.
Congressman Palmer has had nearly a decade to match his rhetoric with action. But time and again, he’s voted with party leadership and against fiscal reality. He’s followed the path of least resistance, hoping his constituents wouldn’t notice the price tag. But Alabama families are noticing. We feel the squeeze every time prices rise, interest rates climb, and our economy grows more fragile under the weight of $36 trillion in debt.
We’re told that “now’s not the time” to cut spending. That “later” we’ll get serious about the debt. But if not now — when? If not when passing major tax reform — when? The truth is, too many in Congress have no intention of ever tightening the belt. They’re comfortable making speeches about the debt while voting to grow it.
We need something different.
We don’t need another politician who plays it safe — we need someone who tells the truth, votes with conviction, and answers to the people — not party bosses. We need leaders who understand that conservatism means sacrifice, not slogans.
It’s time to hold the talkers accountable.
Our kids don’t need more debt. They need courage. Alabama deserves a representative who will finally say no.
Mr. Dixon can be reached at [email protected]
