Weekly Columns

Tulsa World - Congressman Tom Cole

After the recent chemical attack in Syria, the American people expressed their strong opposition to the military strike proposed by President Obama. Through phone calls, emails, letters and town hall meetings, my Oklahoma constituents made it abundantly clear to me that they were strongly and unequivocally opposed to any U.S. involvement in Syria's civil war.

The Syrian conflict is a violent, unfortunate situation, but American military intervention is not in our best interest. What we are watching unfold is a civil war, a proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia and a religious war.

America should avoid being drawn into this conflict since the president’s recent proposal is a gesture, not a clear policy or military strategy, and it will certainly not change conditions on the ground. The United States has not been attacked and neither have our allies.

For the Obama Administration, scandals have become a sad but common reality. Throughout the series of scandals surrounding Fast and Furious, Benghazi, the IRS and Associated Press, the president’s behavior has become predictable and irresponsible. Scandal after scandal, the president has resorted to accusing others of wrongdoing, offering a late, empty apology or ignoring the situation entirely. For this president, taking responsibility for scandals or even acknowledging the presence of wrongdoing under his watch is rare indeed.

With each day, there is something to report about our economic situation. Unfortunately, the news is rarely promising, and we are constantly reminded that we still hold more than $17 trillion in debt. While there are several drivers of our debt, the introduction and enforcement of federal regulations has become one of the costliest to taxpayers and job creators, slowing our economic recovery.

In today’s society, there are numerous possibilities for receiving an education that prepares students for academic success and achievement. While the majority of elementary and secondary students in the United States attend public or private schools, the popularity of home schooling continues to grow and has become a widely accepted and respected alternative.

President Obama is well-practiced at taking credit for economic recovery and job creation. Whether actual progress or improvements exist or not, he claims time and time again that the country is in better shape because of his political initiatives. However, due to the Administration’s flawed policies, closer analysis of the facts reveals that our economy and job market are lackluster at best. In fact, our country is currently suffering from the weakest economic recovery since World War II.

House Republicans have jumped on every opportunity to fully repeal and change or defund the president’s healthcare law. His signature piece of legislation, President Obama’s so-called affordable plan for healthcare is already showing signs of inevitable failure, and it continues to grow less popular with each passing day. Even the Obama Administration has admitted that the law is unworkable by choosing to delay key portions of it.

The safety and security we enjoy each day isn’t without a price. As the greatest military power in the world, our country must continue to preserve our defense capabilities and support those who put their lives on the line daily. Last week, the House passed, with strong bipartisan support, the Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2014 which ensures critical military funding in the coming fiscal year.