Economy and Jobs

Jobs are created by entrepreneurs, not bureaucrats and politicians in Washington. 

Government does not and cannot create economic prosperity, but unfortunately it can stand in the way of a strong economy and job growth. A complicated tax code, over-regulation, ObamaCare, and overall fiscal uncertainty hinder the ability of working Americans and all businesses, especially small businesses, to prosper.

While big business can hire an army of lobbyists and lawyers to protect themselves in Washington, small businesses and their employees must shoulder the burden on their own. They are paying the biggest price for Washington’s inability to get spending and over-regulation under control. As a member of the House Committee on Small Business, I am working to ensure that being productive and prosperous is not punished:

• We need a fairer and flatter tax code that encourages job creation, productive investment, wealth creation and provides a level playing field for true competition. The thousands of pages in the tax code should not be used for advancing one business or industry over another.
• We need to cut the red tape and the rules. Over-regulation is strangling Main Street. Regulations often are written in a way that protects big business and big government while it becomes expensive for small businesses to meet new mandates or requirements. Excessive regulation is particularly harmful to Kansas when it comes to agriculture as well – farmers and ranchers should be trusted to protect their land and the natural resources they use. After all, they are our nation’s first environmentalists.
• ObamaCare must be repealed. Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi famously once said: “We have to pass the [health care] bill to find out what’s in it.” In the three years that have passed since ObamaCare became the law of the land – but still before it is enacted fully – we have found surprises at every corner. Whether it is higher costs, violations of patient privacy, unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats rationing Medicare, or millions of citizens losing a health plan they like and can afford, Americans are finding out there is less to like about this law than originally expected (and many did not like it in the first place!). The health care system was not perfect before ObamaCare, but it has clearly made it worse.
• Washington must get its fiscal house in order. Annual trillion-dollar deficits and more than $17 trillion in debt leave all Americans including business owners nervous about the future. What is Washington going to do to close these gaps? The fear of higher taxes and more spending makes many wary about investing in growing their businesses. It’s time to pass a budget that creates some certainty – and a budget that addresses the reckless and irresponsible overspending that plagues Washington.