Op-Eds
Jan 25, 2010
Op-Eds
On the Tuesday before Christmas, a little known freshman Democrat from Alabama, Rep. Parker Griffith, made waves in the nation’s capital – he changed party affiliations.
Jan 25, 2010
Op-Eds
During my first year in Congress, I witnessed a disturbing pattern in legislative strategy pursued by Democrat leaders. Often in Congress, non-controversial provisions are attached to annual authorizing and funding bills, which in essence, become legislative vehicles for other measures. It’s not a new practice. Both parties have long used this as a tactic to move legislation through Congress, but the Democrats’ escalation last year using all three troop funding bills as a means to pass extremely controversial and unrelated social and economic policy was inappropriate and set a terrible precedent.
Jan 13, 2010
Op-Eds
Founding Father and statesman Patrick Henry once said of the Constitution, "It is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government — lest it come to dominate our lives and interests."
Jan 12, 2010
Op-Eds
By: BARBARA HOLLINGSWORTH
Lies and federal databases
By: BARBARA HOLLINGSWORTH
Examiner Columnist
January 13, 2010
Washington Examiner
Jan 8, 2010
Op-Eds
Early on the morning of December 24th, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and more than a dozen Democrat senators exchanged holiday gifts in the form of a vote on the Senate version of health care reform, H.R. 3590. Harry Reid received the gift of 60 votes, the number he needed, to pass the Democrats’ health care bill in the Senate. In return for their support, more than a dozen Senators received multi-million dollar sweetheart deals at the American taxpayer’s expense.
Dec 21, 2009
Op-Eds
The week before President Barack Obama delivered his speech at West Point announcing he would order 30,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, I traveled to Kabul as part of a small congressional delegation.
Upon arrival, we met with Gen. Stanley McChrystal to review the security challenges in Afghanistan. Our discussion focused on his plan to reverse the current momentum of the Taliban in order to create a stable environment and allow for the political process to move forward. I left the meeting wanting to believe in the general and wanting to believe in our mission.
Nov 16, 2009
Op-Eds
Less than twenty four hours after Members of Congress cast arguably the most important vote of this year, the Aurora Sentinel indicted Republicans for voting against Nancy Pelosi’s bill and for being vocal about our opposition. The editorial asserted that opposing the bill was an endorsement of the status quo and that those who opposed it were fighting against “change” rather than working with Democrats to help shape it.
This is a mischaracterization and a false analogy. The editorial also asserts that Republicans have not in earnest tried to be part of the process. That could not be further from the truth.
Oct 7, 2009
Op-Eds
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Right now, as commander-in-chief, President Obama must lead on Afghanistan, or we risk losing what he has described as the "central front" in our battle against al Qaeda. |
Sep 9, 2009
Op-Eds
Many Democrats have claimed that Republicans are being purely obstructionist with health reform and offering no real alternatives. That could not be further from the truth.
America is in desperate need of health care reforms, but the wrong reforms – or well intentioned but poorly conceived reforms will only exacerbate the current crisis. Just because my Republican colleagues and I are opposed to the current Democrat proposals, doesn’t means we’re opposed to reform – despite what some Democrats may have you believe.
Sep 8, 2009
Op-Eds
Without a doubt, our nation's health care system needs resuscitation. The question looms large: What specific reforms will breathe life back into it?
Health care reform dialogue has become centered on the current proposals' stomach-turning price tag and the creation of a government-run insurance entity, commonly referred to as the "public option." Recently The Denver Post editorialized that inclusion of a public option is critical to successful health reform. Contrary to the editorial, a public option would not reduce health care costs, nor would it increase competition in the insurance industry.
Sep 6, 2009
Op-Eds
Competition is critical; a public option is not.
Without a doubt, our nation’s health care system needs resuscitation. The question looms large, what specific reforms will breathe life back into it?
Aug 28, 2009
Op-Eds
So far this August I have held six town hall meetings and heard concerns from hundreds of constituents about health care reform. I have not seen any issue evoke as much emotion and passion as health care reform here in Colorado since the Vietnam War. While there have been a wide variety of voices and differing opinions on health reform, the majority of constituents I have spoken to in the Sixth District are fed up with the agenda Democrats have pursued and the correlated reckless deficit spending.
Aug 26, 2009
Op-Eds
Congressional Democrats have begun a road show as part of an August offensive to save their sinking health care plan and on Aug. 1, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said as much, publicly commenting that this month Democrats need to “sell” their plan to the American people.
Jul 30, 2009
Op-Eds
You would be hard-pressed to find a policymaker in Washington, D.C., say our nation's health care system is not desperately in need of change and improvement. There is also broad agreement on the goals — reduced costs, improved quality of care, and increased access to care.
Jul 17, 2009
Op-Eds
This week I was visited by automotive dealers from my district, including two whose businesses had been shuttered in recent weeks as a result of General Motors and Chrysler decisions to cancel their franchise agreements.
Having just gone through the pain of having to close their doors, lay off employees, and grapple with the idea that their livelihood had been taken away, each auto dealer I met with was left wondering the same question: “Why?” Why had GM and Chrysler chosen one dealership for closure over another?
Jun 26, 2009
Op-Eds
Last week the Ambassador to the United States from the Peoples Republic of China paid a visit to my Congressional office in Washington, D.C. We exchanged pleasantries and then I got down to business utilizing my time with him to discuss international trade relations, currency manipulation, Taiwan, North Korea, and their recently expressed concern about the
May 29, 2009
Op-Eds
Last week, I introduced legislation that will enable the Social Security Administration to share information with the Department of Homeland Security to help prevent identity theft and for detecting the fraudulent use of Social Security numbers.
Apr 23, 2009
Op-Eds
I just returned from our southwest border with Mexico. I wanted to see firsthand the progress — or lack of it — in erecting barriers to the drug cartels' smuggling activities and the violence now spilling over into border communities.
Contrary to recent statements from the Department of Homeland Security, the border fence is far from finished and the Border Patrol is still woefully short of manpower.
Jan 29, 2009
Op-Eds
The American people are hurting and our economy is in a recession. Congress is right to take action to stimulate the economy, but the American people deserve better than a pork-laden spending frenzy with very little money going to the people who need it most. Any such economic stimulus package must be timely, temporary and targeted.