Weekly Columns
In less than five weeks, tax hikes will go into effect for virtually all tax brackets unless Congress takes action. Despite public and bipartisan support for maintaining the current tax rates, President Obama and Democratic leaders in Congress have repeatedly refused to bring the issue to a vote. President Obama insists that his plan to raise taxes on the highest tax brackets will not affect job creators, but the facts indicate otherwise.
The intrusion of the federal government into Americans' daily lives has become more extensive than the Founding Fathers ever intended. From burdensome taxes to excessive regulations, my fellow Oklahomans frequently share with me their frustration with government interference. Restoring the principles of limited government will be a primary focus of the next Congress, and legislation I have introduced to protect states' 10th Amendment rights would help achieve this important objective.
The midterm elections sent a clear message that Congress must change, and House Republicans have already begun working to implement important reforms when the new Congress convenes in January. I was honored to be named a member of the House Majority Transition Team, which held a series of productive meetings last week to lay the groundwork for making the House of Representatives more transparent and accountable.
William F. Buckley defined conservatism as standing "athwart history, yelling 'Stop.'" In last week's midterm elections, it wasn't just conservatives but citizens of all political stripes, from across the nation, who went to the voting booth and yelled "Stop" to the Obama/Pelosi agenda.
This year's lame-duck session has the potential to be one of the most controversial in recent memory. Congressional Democrats have signaled their intention to hold votes on as many as 20 pieces of legislation in the period between this week's midterm elections and the January swearing-in of newly elected members of Congress. Their agenda includes several unpopular bills that the majority of Oklahomans oppose.
With the pivotal November 2 elections fast approaching, partisan conflicts are on display in political ads, debates and news reports across the country. However, there is remarkable consensus in Oklahoma among lawmakers and candidates from both parties regarding State Question 744.
With the latest jobs report showing an unemployment rate of 9.6 percent, it is indisputable that President Obama's stimulus plan failed in its central goal of keeping unemployment below 8 percent. But the $787 billion stimulus bill has been a waste of taxpayer money in other ways, as well.
Throughout the debate over health care, the Obama administration assured Americans repeatedly that Obamacare would not interfere with their current health insurance. A little over six months after the government health care takeover became law, that false promise is already falling apart. If not for a last-minute intervention, thousands of workers were on the verge of losing their coverage due to expensive new mandates.
The House of Representatives adjourned abruptly last week, leaving essential work unfinished. In the interests of getting home to campaign for the mid-term elections, Speaker Pelosi and her party sent legislators home without even allowing a vote on tax relief.
Last week, House Republicans unveiled a new governing agenda to address America's most pressing problems. Titled "A Pledge to America," this plan contains specific policies to restore fiscal sanity and transparency to the government and encourage the private sector to create jobs.