Charge and Response- President Obama's Remarks in Holland, Michigan
CHARGE: “[N]ow some of what we're facing today has to do with events beyond our control. As the economy was improving and improving through 2009, 2010, the beginning of this year, suddenly it was hit with the unrest in the Middle East that helped send gas prices through the roof. Europe is dealing with all sorts of financial turmoil that is lapping up on our shores. Japan’s tragic earthquake hurt economies around the globe, including ours, cut off some supply chains that were very important to us.”
RESPONSE: Once again, the president offers more excuses and fails to acknowledge his administration role in our historically slow economic recovery. President Obama’s policies that keep us on a path to national bankruptcy, saddle American job creators with tax hikes, and burden small businesses with regulations and red tape are the real reason behind our current economic environment.
CHARGE: “This downgrade you’ve been reading about could have been entirely avoided if there had been a willingness to compromise in congress…it didn't happen because we don't have the capacity to pay our bills. It happened because Washington doesn't have the capacity to come together and get things done.”
RESPONSE: President Obama’s idea of compromise must have been for him to get a clean debt limit increase without spending cuts and reforms. The American people and House Republicans said, “No.”
House Republicans passed a budget that if enacted, will cut $5 trillion from our national debt compared to the president’s budget. Additionally, House Republicans passed the Cut, Cap, and Balance plan that if enacted, would put serious, permanent reforms in place to stop spending money we do not have. Unfortunately, President Obama continues to fight House Republicans on these common-sense plans to get our nation on a fiscally sustainable path.
CHARGE: “Now, we do have to pay for these things and in order to pay for these things Congress has to finish the job of reducing the nation's budget deficit in a sensible responsible way. Not just with more cuts this year or next year. Those cuts would weaken the economy more than it already is, and we've already cut one trillion dollars in what's called discretionary spending. What we need is a long-term plan to get our nation's finances in order.”
RESPONSE: We are in a spending driven debt crisis. We have a massive debt and deficits because we spend too much, not because we tax too little.
House Republicans already have a long-term plan to get our nation’s finances in order. In April, House Republicans passed The Path to Prosperity Budget, which puts our nation on a fiscally sustainable path and reforms our health care and retirement security programs to ensure they continue to serve current and near retirees but are also there for future generations. House Republicans are also the only ones in Washington calling for a balanced budget amendment to our Constitution – the ultimate solution to our nation’s debt crisis. This administration and Senate Democrats continue to deny the importance of a balanced budget amendment, believing we can solve this crisis with tax hikes on America’s job creators. We don’t need a balanced approach-we need a balanced budget amendment.
CHARGE: “These are things we can do right now. These are things I’ve already proposed. We’ve worked out the glitches. The legislation is drafted. Let's get it done.”
RESPONSE: Instead of directing frustration at “Congress”, the president should call on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to take up the bills that have passed the House.
The president mentioned the following pieces of legislation:
- Patent Reform – Passed the House, still waiting for Senate action.
- Trade Promotion – House Republicans Plan for America’s Job Creators includes the export agreements he mentioned, but it’s the President and congressional Democrats who are holding it up by insisting on Trade Adjustment Agreements (TAA), when the House has made clear that these will be brought up separate from TAA.
- Keeping Bush Tax Cuts for middle income families – House Republicans have repeatedly said that any tax hikes are off the table.
- Programs to help veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan find jobs – House Republicans have already introduced legislation to help returning Veterans find jobs—the president hasn’t.
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