September 23, 2010

WASHINGTON - Financial Services Committee Ranking Member Spencer Bachus issued the following statement on the release of A Pledge to America, which was presented today by House Republicans after an unprecedented initiative of  listening to the views and concerns of Americans across the country.

"America is the largest economy in the world, larger than our four next competitors.  We got there through choice, competition, individual responsibility, and freedom - not by the government running everything.   We cannot spend, borrow, bail out, and tax our way to prosperity.  The massive growth of government is holding back the economy and eroding our personal freedoms.  The consistent pattern with health care, cap and tax, and financial regulation is that the government is making the choices, instead of the individual.   The uncertainty created by this intervention has frozen the economy, while the ongoing spending spree in Washington threatens our long-term prosperity.  The way to create jobs and opportunity is to return to the principles of less spending, low taxes, and constitutional government.  This is the message that we have heard from millions of Americans across the country, including citizens in my home state of Alabama, and now is the time to act."