 |
U.S. Rep. John Boehner, 8th District
Government Reforms
And Spending Cuts To Secure Our Country’s Future
May 20, 2011
Washington - Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) released the
following column today discussing House Republicans’ solutions to put
us on a path to balance the budget and pay down our debt. Full
text of the column is included below:
“For the past few weeks, House Republicans have been in a heated debate
with the Democrats who run Washington over our proposals for a
responsible budget with significant spending cuts and government
reforms. Every day we are presented with more reasons of why we
must make the difficult decisions in order to protect our future.
For example, reports released last week showed that Medicare is
projected to be bankrupt by 2024, five years earlier than last year’s
projection. On Monday the United States reached its legal debt
limit. But regardless of these indicators that serious action is
required, President Obama and the Democrats who run Washington are
proposing to do nothing and raise the debt ceiling without including
major cuts and reforms.
“House Republicans have put forward real solutions that will save
entitlement programs, such as Medicare for current and future
generations, and put us on a path to balance the budget and pay down
our debt.
“In the Republican Budget, ‘Path To Prosperity,’ we proposed a plan to
secure entitlement programs today so our children won’t come up empty
handed. Let me be clear, our plan will not make any changes to
the current Medicare plans of anyone 55 or older. But for those
54 and younger, changes are necessary or the funds will be
dried-up.
“Just as important as addressing our entitlement programs, the
Republican Budget also proposes significant reforms and spending cuts
to help put our country get back on track. Republicans have been
clear that there will be no debt limit increase without serious changes
to the way we spend taxpayer dollars and substantial spending cuts –
cuts higher than any increase. To raise the debt ceiling without
spending cuts that are larger than the amount of the increase would be
more irresponsible than not raising the debt ceiling at all.
“We cannot continue to borrow recklessly and dig ourselves deeper into
this hole. Stanford economist John B. Taylor described it best
when he said these reforms and cuts are ‘essential to a credible return
to sound fiscal policy and an end to the ongoing debt explosion.’
“Some argue that to address our debt, we need to raise taxes. I’m
totally opposed to that, and here’s why. We don’t have a revenue
problem in Washington; we have a spending problem. The federal budget
can only be balanced with spending cuts and long-term economic growth,
and we won’t have economic growth if we raise taxes. Tax hikes destroy
jobs and discourage the investment needed to keep our economy growing.
Tax hikes are a nonstarter in this discussion.
“It is time to commit ourselves to government policies that will let
our economy achieve long-term growth. Our mission as legislators
has to be to liberate our economy from the things that impede growth -
to provide clear policies, so that innovators and entrepreneurs have
the green light to move forward and create jobs, without having to
worry about second-guessing from Washington.
“No more kicking the can down the road, no more whistling past the
graveyard – now is the time to address the serious challenges that face
America, and we will. The greatest threat to our country and to
our economy is doing nothing. It’s time for the President and the
Senate Democrats to get serious and join us in making the difficult
decisions necessary to set our country on a sustainable path.
“As leaders, we owe it to the American people to ensure that the
opportunities our generation had are there for current and future
generations. Until our economy is back on track and the American
Dream has been restored, there can be no rest.”
Boehner represents Ohio’s
8th District, which includes all of Darke, Miami, and Preble counties,
most of Butler and Mercer counties, and the northeastern corner of
Montgomery County. He was first elected to Congress in 1990.
|
