Republican Budget Will Continue Focus on the Middle Class
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the President’s budget:
“In his State of the Union address, President Obama promised to deliver a budget filled with, quote, ‘ideas that are practical, not partisan.’
“I know many Americans were glad to hear him say that. The American people elected a right-of-center Congress focused on jobs and reform. So it makes sense that a President would want to send common-sense ideas that could pass the Congress the people elected.
“He could have proposed a budget that balanced.
“He could have challenged us with serious, innovative reforms aimed at getting spending under control. Or effective ideas to increase jobs and opportunity.
“There are so many positive things he could’ve done instead of phoning in another tired, tax-and-spend manifesto. We basically see the same thing every year. It focuses on growing the bureaucracy instead of opportunity. It doesn’t balance — ever. And because it isn’t designed to pass Congress, it doesn’t.
“But the budget is just one symptom of a wider disconnect.
“Rhetorically at least, we hear the White House echo Republicans’ calls for policies aimed at helping the Middle Class. But then we see the White House push more of the stale, top-down policies favored by political bosses on the Left.
“As Americans who’ve lost health plans or seen health costs skyrocket could tell you, the Left’s priorities often hurt the very people they purport to help. So this is the wrong approach. We need fresh ideas.
“Republicans want the President to join us in fighting for the Middle Class, so we think he should take opportunities like the budget to rally members of both parties behind serious ideas that can pass. We think the country could really benefit from his positive leadership
“His next test will come soon, as the new Congress works to develop the kind of budget the American people deserve.
“We’re going to focus on growing the economy from the ground up with more future-oriented reform, more jobs, and more opportunity. We’re going to pursue ideas that make government leaner, more efficient, and more effective. And we’re going to honor the hardworking men and women who count on us to spend their dollars wisely — not offload Washington’s problems onto them with higher taxes.
“That’s what the American people expect. It’s the kind of practical agenda you pursue if you’re serious about helping the Middle Class. And it’s what I hope the President will now encourage members of both parties to work toward.
“The truth is, there’s a lot we can achieve with constructive, bipartisan cooperation.”
Related Issues: Health Care, Middle Class, Budget, Jobs
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