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U.S. Representative John Boehner
Let’s Kick
Start Our Economy
If you look at America's economy, it’s flat – it hasn’t been growing as
it should.
While Ohio is moving forward thanks to common-sense Republican economic
solutions, concern remains about the condition of our nation as a
whole. And for the first time perhaps ever, most parents in America
doubt that the next generation in our country will be better off than
the current one.
I hear about this over and over again when I meet with families and
businesses throughout our area. Wages are down, debt is growing,
and we’re paying more for just about everything. What we need to
do is reset America’s economic foundation.
It can be done, and there are five key things I believe we must do as a
nation to take advantage of America’s emerging energy boom and kick
start our economy. You may have already heard about some of these
points – the Hamilton Journal-News has been reporting on this for
months now. That’s because the five points didn’t come from
Washington – they came from talking to real people right here in Ohio
and getting a better idea of what’s on people’s minds.
The first of the five points is to fix our tax code, and I mean the
whole code – corporate side and personal side. Let’s bring down
the rates for every American, clear out the loopholes, and allow people
to do taxes on two sheets of paper. If we do this, we will
address one of the biggest reasons that jobs are moving overseas, and
we will make it easier for families to do everything from build a house
to save money for their kids’ college.
Secondly, we have to solve our spending problem. For 53 of the last 60
years, we’ve spent more than we’ve brought in. You wouldn’t do this in
your own home, and we can’t do it as a country, either, because it is
bad for our economy. It’s stealing from our kids and grandkids, robbing
them of benefits they’ll never see, and leaving them with burdens that
are nearly impossible to repay. And the question isn’t, “What is
driving this debt?” The question is, “Who?” It’s the 3.5 million
baby boomers who will retire this year alone – and this is going to go
on for another 20 years. Our entitlement programs weren’t
designed for so many of us retiring at the same time. These
programs are important to tens of millions of Americans; they need to
be fixed and put on a sustainable path, and we can do that.
Thirdly, we must reform our legal system. We spend more per person on
litigation than the average industrial competitor we have around the
world – driving up the cost of nearly everything we buy. It’s
inefficient, it makes America less competitive, and there has to be a
better way.
Fourthly, we need to rein in our regulatory system. The way the federal
government hands down regulations – it’s coercive, combative, and very
expensive. And for small businesses, it’s causing uncertainty, which is
the last thing that Main Street needs right now.
But even if we did these four things, we aren’t going to maximize our
potential if we don’t find a way to educate more of America’s kids –
which is why that’s the fifth point. We all know if we’re going
to have a growing economy, we’re going to need workers. And we can’t
have workers who don’t get the basics of a decent education in
America. Last year, one out of every five high school students
didn’t graduate with their peers, and one in five of those who did
graduate need remedial education before they can start college.
We’re simply not educating enough of America’s kids. Let’s give
more kids and their parents a chance to find better schools that they
deserve – regardless of their zip code.
As I often say, we’re already doing a lot of this here in Ohio – and
it’s working. Imagine the growth we’d see nationwide if
Washington took note. These five points, along with the energy
boom that is right here in front of us, will allow us to reset the
economic foundation in America and create more opportunities for
Americans to get ahead – not just get by.
Boehner represents Ohio’s 8th District, which includes all of Butler,
Clark, Darke, Miami, and Preble counties, and the southernmost part of
Mercer County. He was first elected to Congress in 1990.
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