Best & Worst Tax-and-Spenders in 2003

Every year the non-partisan National Taxpayers Union rates all members of the U.S. House and Senate on their votes relating to taxing and spending. Last week, the NTU released its ratings for 2003.

The ratings are based on every roll call vote affecting fiscal policy. In 2003, that came to 287 votes in the House and 269 in the Senate. A perfect pro-taxpayer score equals 100%. The average 2003 pro-taxpayer score in the House was only 45%, which, nonetheless, was up four points from 2002. The average 2003 pro-taxpayer score in the Senate was only 47%-up seven points from 2002. Scores were buoyed in part by passage of President Bush's 2003 tax-cut package.

Rep. Jeff Flake (R.-Ariz.), who scored 89.6%, had the very best tally in either house. Sen. Byron Dorgan (D.-N.D.), who scored 10.79%, had the very worst. Rep. Jim Leach, who scored 39.03%, had the worst record of all Republicans in both houses.

Here are lists of the Ten Best and Ten Worst taxing-and-spending members in both houses as per the NTU ratings. Because all Ten Best in both houses are Republicans, and all Ten Worst are Democrats, we have also included a list of the Ten Worst Republicans in both houses.

For the House rankings, two of the 435 members are not counted. They are Rep. Dennis Hastert (R.-Ill.), who as Speaker of the House often abstains from votes, and Rep. Dick Gephardt (D.-Mo.), who skipped more than 90% of House votes in 2003. The NTU's ratings for all members of Congress are posted at the NTU website.