President, Congress must work together for economic stability

President, Congress must work together for economic stability
                        
Recently, millions of Americans across the country tuned in to watch President Obama’s State of the Union address. We can all agree that the President delivered his speech eloquently; however, if his previous five State of the Union addresses and the action that followed are any indication of what we can expect down the road – this was simply more rhetoric. The strong economy the President described in his speech drew a stark contrast with the harsh economic realities that hardworking individuals and families in Ohio’s 16th district continue to face. The President’s health care law is raising costs, cancelling plans, and turning full-time work into part-time work for too many. Higher taxes and increased federal regulations are stifling our small businesses and preventing them from growing. Our labor force continues to shrink and the participation rate is the lowest it’s been since 1978. I was encouraged to hear the President mention the need to reform our tax code and job-training programs, make education more affordable, bring back manufacturing jobs, and work toward an all-of-the-above energy policy; however, his proposals lacked substance. These are great ideas and things that we can all agree on, but the President didn’t provide much detail on how he plans to achieve them. I was disappointed that the President failed to address our growing $17 trillion debt, which is threatening the very future of this country, and did not acknowledge our seniors or the Social Security and Medicare programs that they rely on -- key issues that he repeatedly touted on the campaign trail. Lastly, I was troubled by the President’s stated intention to circumvent Congress, which represents a disregard for the legislative process outlined in our Constitution. At a time when we are facing serious challenges, it is more important now than ever that Congress and the President work together. It has been done successfully in a divided government before, and we can do it again. In order to put our nation on the path to a long-lasting recovery, we must enact policies that will rein in excessive spending, address deficit reduction in a meaningful way, and reduce unnecessary federal regulations that continue to stand in the way of job creation. I look forward to working with the President and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to restore economic stability so that we may pass on a better America with more opportunities to future generations.


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