Washington Democrats’ Out-of-Control Spending Spree Needs to Stop. Now

by Rep. John Boehner (R-OH)

This week, I had the privilege to deliver the Weekly Republican Address.  In it, I talk about how Washington Democrats’ continued failure to end their out-of-control spending spree is scaring the hell out of the American people and hurting our economy.  The need for action could not be clearer: a $13 trillion debt, near-10 percent unemployment, and stagnant private sector growth.  Having run a small business, I can tell you that all this deficit spending, coupled with the new health care law’s burdensome mandates and tax hikes, is crushing these engines of our economy.

As bad as things are, Democrats don’t even intend to pass a budget, doing nothing instead of seizing this critical opportunity to provide the fiscal discipline that is sorely needed to create jobs and boost our economy.   Even after presenting President Obama with a statement signed by more than 100 economists that says just that, he still has not pressed leaders in his own party to take action.  Taxpayers have every right to be fed up with this stunning failure of leadership – the kind of leadership President Obama promised to provide.

These and other topics are discussed in the Weekly Republican Address:

“Hello – I’m John Boehner.  In these tough economic times, American families have done their level best to stay afloat – spending less and working more while trying to map out a financially sound future.  They deserve that same degree of discipline and vigilance from their government.

“But instead of bringing fiscal sanity to Washington like he promised, President Obama has spent taxpayer dollars with reckless abandon, refusing to make tough choices and pushing the burden on to future generations.  No price tag has been too high for Washington Democrats, and now we’re all paying the price.


“Unemployment is still close to 10 percent.  The private sector is at a near-standstill.  Our small businesses are still gasping for air.  And having run a small business, I can tell you that the new health care law, with its burdensome mandates and tax increases, is already stalling these engines of our economy.

“A new report from the Treasury Department shows that our fiscal situation is much worse than we thought.  Our record national debt – which now tops $13 trillion – is on pace to exceed the size of our entire economy by the middle of this decade.   Economists say that at these levels, our debt is draining enough resources from our country to cost us nearly one million jobs.

“We cannot go on like this.

“Real economic growth requires creating jobs in the private sector, and to do that we need to start reining in Washington’s out-of-control spending spree.  Less spending, more jobs – it’s that simple.

“Economists agree, and this week, I gave President Obama a statement signed by more than 100 of them urging both parties to take immediate, decisive action to cut federal spending.

“Unfortunately, Democrats in Congress are busy making backroom deals so that they don’t have to pass a budget this year.  They’d rather keep on spending than seize this critical opportunity to create jobs and boost our economy.  But every family knows that in tough times, passing a budget is more important – not less important.

“Just as troubling is the fact that President Obama hasn’t uttered a word in protest of Congressional Democrats’ failure to produce a budget.   Even after being presented with these economists’ pleas for fiscal discipline, he still won’t press leaders in his own party to fulfill their responsibility to the American people.

“This is a stunning failure of leadership – the kind of leadership President Obama promised to provide.

“Too many in Washington forget that we work for the people, not the other way around.  Taxpayers are just fed up, and they want us to stop spending their hard-earned money.

“That’s why, through the America Speaking Out project, Republicans are providing Americans with a megaphone to make their voices heard and help build a better, more responsive government.  If you have an idea to cut wasteful Washington spending, log on to AmericaSpeakingOut.com right now and start a discussion about it.

“Another interactive Republican initiative – YouCut – gives Americans a chance to vote on specific spending cuts that you want to see Congress implement.  And looking forward, Republicans have proposed common-sense solutions to reform the way Washington spends taxpayer dollars, starting with strict budget caps to limit federal spending on an annual basis.

“Waiting and hoping for the best is no longer an option, not when 43 cents of every dollar we spend this year is borrowed from our kids and grandkids.  Our posterity shouldn’t have to foot the bill because Washington Democrats can’t do what they were elected to do or summon the courage to say no to special interests with their hands out.

“So while I hope President Obama will work with us to stop this spending spree, if he won’t hold Congressional Democrats accountable, then the American people will.

“Thank you for listening.”


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Posted Jun 12th 2010 at 5:13 am in Congress, Featured Story, Federal Spending, Obama, Politics, taxes | 87 Comments