Posted by
Randy
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December 01, 2010
A report by Gallup has said Americans are most likely to choose deficit and debt reduction as the best approach for dealing with the economy over other alternatives like raising taxes and increasing stimulus spending.
Posted by
Randy
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November 18, 2010
This week, the first Guantanamo Bay detainee to be tried in federal civilian court was found guilty on a single conspiracy charge but cleared on 284 other counts, including multiple murder and attempted-murder charges. The failure of the civilian court to convict him on the most serious terrorism charges is proof that the Administration is wrong when they say foreign terrorists can be adequately tried in civilian courts.
Posted by
Randy
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September 28, 2010
Tomorrow, the House Armed Services Committee is holding a hearing on the Pentagon’s recent defense cut proposals, including the Pentagon’s abrupt and closed-door decision to dismantle the U.S. Joint Forces Command (JFCOM).
If you've been following my work on defense issues, you know that I am deeply concerned that reckless federal spending, rather than security needs, is driving our defense strategy. You also know that I continue to be concerned with the Department of Defense’s lack of transparency in disclosing important information to Congress regarding their defense decisions, despite the fact that Congress is tasked with the responsibility of oversight. Over the past two years, the DoD has refused to provide shipbuilding and aviation plans as required by law, placed "gag orders" on senior defense officials preventing them from providing information to Congress, refused to send specific witnesses requested by the House Armed Services Committee, failed to meet deadlines for requests for documents related to defense cuts, and withheld information from Congress on defense decisions. In the hearing tomorrow, I will address these concerns, particularly in light of recent defense cuts and its impact on national security needs. You can watch the hearing live at http://armedservices.house.gov/, or you can subscribe to my blog to receive video updates as soon as they are posted.
Posted by
Randy
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September 15, 2010
According to a recent survey of small business owners by Citigroup Inc., only 17% had plans to hire additional employees. When our nation’s small businesses – who employee half of our nation’s private work force – are not hiring, it impedes economic growth.
Washington needs to abandon deficit spending and stimulus quick-fixes and instead return to economic principles that promote recovery and encourage the creation of much-needed new jobs. There are several steps that Congress can take that would create jobs and spur innovation: Make tax cuts permanent. Implementing lasting tax cuts will help to restore economic freedom in the United States and put our country on the path to a brighter future. I have cosponsored the Economic Freedom Act (H.R. 5029), which would reduce taxes for American businesses and families. Decrease burdensome regulations on small businesses. In our current economic situation, we must show our small businesses that we support them by continuing pro-growth policies like lowering taxes, simplifying the tax code, and reducing burdensome regulations. Develop lasting energy solutions. We need a bold initiative that will encourage investment in new forms of energy, thus ending our dependence on oil and creating thousands of new energy jobs for Americans. I have introduced the New Manhattan Project for Energy Independence, which would create a national challenge for lasting energy solutions. Lower the debt. Our national debt is expected to reach 93.1% of our GDP this year. Economic experts say even a 1 percent increase in GDP can create almost one million jobs. We must make a commitment to decreasing the national debt, which is why I have introduced a bill to cut government spending by 40% over the next five years. What other solutions do you have that would help create jobs for American families?
Posted by
Randy
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September 14, 2010
"To preserve [the] independence [of the people,] we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude.” – Thomas Jefferson, 1816
Our Founding Fathers knew that overwhelming national debt would undermine the ability of our nation to act in our own interest. Today, our national debt levels are impacting us here at home and they are impacting us globally. We need a mechanism in place to force Congress to enact fiscally responsible spending measures and rein in out-of-control debt. I am a cosponsor of H.J.RES.1, a Balanced Budget Amendment, which will force Congress to enact fiscally responsible spending measures, reduce the deficit, and ensure that the money our citizens work so hard to earn is not spent on wasteful spending and programs. The bill requires that Congress not spend more than it receives in revenues, requires the President to submit a balanced budget to Congress, and requires a 3/5 majority vote to increase the debt limit. A Constitutional amendment will force Congress to eliminate unnecessary and wasteful spending and make the decisions necessary to balance the budget and eliminate the federal deficit.
Posted by
Randy
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September 10, 2010
As you know, I was one of only 17 Members of Congress to vote against both this stimulus and every other stimulus and bailout under the Bush and Obama Administrations because I believed that they would not work.
Posted by
Randy
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September 01, 2010
This chart shows an alarming truth – nearly half of our public debt is owned by foreign nations, like China.
I believe this is wrong. That’s why I have not only voted against all of the bailouts and stimulus packages that have added to our skyrocketing debt, but also cosponsored the Cap the DEBT Act. The premise of this commonsense bill is a simple – require a two-thirds vote by the House and the Senate to raise the debt ceiling. You can read more about it in this post.
Posted by
Randy
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August 17, 2010
Job-Killing Principles
Posted by
Randy
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August 13, 2010
I thought you might be interested to see this chart from the Joint Economic Committee minority detailing a bewildering number of new government regulations, mandates, and agencies resulting from the recently passed healthcare bill.
Click the chart to view a high-resolution copy or click here for more details.
Posted by
Randy
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July 19, 2010
I want to share with you this article I read in the Wall Street Journal that highlights just one of the reasons I introduced a bill to prohibit the IRS from hiring, transferring, or appointing individuals for positions used to enforce government-mandated healthcare. You can read more about my bill here. Lost in Taxation
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