Friends,
Last week, I had the opportunity to vote on a budget proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), Chairman of the House Budget Committee. This budget is the second budget proposed by House Republicans since 2010, while the Senate has still yet to even draft a budget in over 1000 days!
This budget, yet again, addresses the out-of-control spending culture that persists in Washington. The refusal by some in Washington to adhere to the budgeting process has allowed government to keep writing blank checks that continue to build on the already massive debt that will be passed out to the next generation. Simply, Washington has to, and needs to, stop the out-of-control spending spree.
The 2012 House Republican budget repeals Obamacare, protects the doctor patient relationship, protects our troops from reckless and dangerous cuts, curbs federal spending by $1.1 trillion relative to last year’s Republican proposal, prevents $2 trillion in tax increases proposed by the President, and puts us on a path to balance the budget.
Provides for the Common Defense
The safety and security of the American people is the first responsibility of the federal government. Our military, and our overall security, is being threatened by our massive debt. Defense spending is not the cause of our debt; blank check spending habits by liberals in Washington is the cause.
The President wants to cut over $500 billion from the defense budget over the next decade to help balance the budget. These senseless cuts would jeopardize critical missions and the overall well-being of our soldiers and their families. Our brave men and women serving in our Armed Forces should not pay the price for Washington’s failure to take action.
Restoring Economic Freedom
America’s economic success has been driven by a free-market system that does not include the government picking winners and losers. Our free-enterprise system is being stifled by government overreach and excessive taxes and regulations that have weakened the confidence in our economy.
With unemployment still hovering at 9%, Washington needs to get out of the way of private business and allow for job creators to create jobs. More and more money is being spent on compliance instead of being used for business expansion and hiring more employees. This budget restores fiscal discipline by cutting over $5 trillion in government spending so the private sector can grow.
The House Republican budget also repeals Obama’s healthcare law, reverses the President’s failed economic policies that cause high prices at the pump, and instead, promotes an all-the-above strategy that unlocks the vast resources we have here at home. This approach will lower energy costs, create real jobs right away, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
Repairing the Safety Social Safety Net
The government programs aimed to protect and assist those that need help are failing to deliver on their promise because they are on an unsustainable path. We must keep the promises we have made to those who have made this country great.
Currently, these safety net programs promote dependence and leave the lower-income Americans most at risk. This budget returns power of public assistance programs over to the states giving them the freedom and flexibility to tailor programs that uniquely fit their population.
This plan focuses on realigning incentives to ensure these programs can be successful at all levels. It strengthens job training and education assistance programs to help Americans get the education and tools they need to thrive in 21st century global economy.
Strengthening Health and Retirement Security
This budget will ensure the promises we have made to our seniors our kept. The House Republicans believe, in order to strengthen Social Security and Medicare, power does not need to be in the hands of Washington bureaucrats but in the hands of the patients and retirees.
It is our plan to save Medicare for current and future generations, with no disruptions for those in and near retirement. Obamacare jeopardizes access to treatment by putting Medicare cuts in the hands of empowered bureaucrats. This budget repeals Obamacare in its entirety, provides quality health support, offers more affordable healthcare, and allows competitive bidding the free-market to drive down costs.
Pro-Growth Tax Reform
Our tax code gets more complex by the minute. It is overgrown with special interest loopholes, political favoritism, and high rates that stifle innovation, economic growth, and job creation.
Our plan reforms the broken tax code by lowering taxes, closing loopholes, and putting hard working Americans first over special interests. These pro-growth reforms ensure the tax code is simpler, fairer, and competitive in a global economy.
This plan is opposite of the President who wants to raise taxes, spend more, and pick winners and losers. We have already seen 3 years of his economic plan of taxing, taxing, and more taxing, and enough is enough.
The 2012 House Republican budget put for forth by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) lays out a solid plan to curb government spending, reduce our debts and deficits, reduce and simplify taxes, promote job growth, and puts us on a path to balance the budget. It continues to change the conversation of how much to we spend to how much we can safely cut without putting at risk our military and the promises we made to our seniors. Simply, this plan saves America and puts our country back on a Path to Prosperity.
Sincerely,
Steven Palazzo
