State of Opinion

Here are the official statements from two of our legislators concerning last night's State of the Union address. You can see what they say, but what's YOUR opinion?  Add your comments below.

    U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-5):

    “The message to the American people tonight was clear. Congressional earmarking is a broken system.  The president has proposed cutting the number of earmarks in half.  I think we can and must do better than that.  That’s why at the end of last year I decided to request no new earmarks.   

     “Earmarks represent spending that is often airdropped into legislation in the dead of night.  Until the system is fixed, I call on all of my colleagues to put a moratorium on earmark spending.

     “Take for example, recent reports that quote Pentagon officials saying that they have received funding for more than $20 billion worth of projects that they either didn’t ask for or didn’t need.  Last year alone, there were nearly 12,000 separate earmarks totaling more than $19 billion.  At a time when we are discussing how best to keep the economy strong, wasteful spending is the last thing America needs for a robust and growing economy.

    “The best way to keep our economy strong is to cut taxes and encourage job creation.  Congress must reign in runaway spending and return more tax dollars to average Americans.  I believe we can build a future where the government spends less and wastes less and tax payers are more prosperous as a result.   

    “We must also pursue common-sense policies that make our nation safer and more secure.  This evening President Bush rightly called on Congress to make the Protect America Act permanent.

    “This legislation modernizes the outdated Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and streamlines the way the

  U.S. intelligence community conducts surveillance on foreign targets.  If the Protect America Act is not made permanent our intelligence community will start to lose its ability to track foreign terrorists.  It’s that simple.  We cannot continue to run our intelligence gathering on a month-to-month basis.

     “I also applaud the President for calling on Congress to continue to take care of our Wounded Warriors and fulfill our duties and obligations to the families of the brave men and women of our armed forces.

    “My hope is that this year is marked by the promise of bipartisan success that helps all Americans.  Last week, the President and House leaders from both parties agreed on the principles for an economic stimulus package.  I agree with the forward-looking perspective of low taxes and earmark reform articulated by the President tonight.  By working together to ensure that Americans keep more of their hard-earned money we can create the best hope for our nation’s success.

    U.S. Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC):

    “Tonight, the President outlined goals for his final year in office.  He talked about the need for a modernized system to care for our veterans, strengthening and improving our kids’ education, making sure our economy remains strong and making sure we have the tools we need to effectively fight the War in Iraq.

    The President’s call to take on the challenges facing our nation’s veterans is more than welcome.  I believe veterans face confusing, bureaucratic programs and lots of paperwork.  We devote a lot of resources to these programs, but we need to modernize the VA system for all veterans and provide much needed reform to improve benefits. 

    In this fast-paced global economy, all of our children must be equipped with the academic skills needed to succeed.  I agree with the President’s call to strengthen No Child Left Behind and I introduced legislation last year that does just that.  My legislation builds on and improves No Child Left Behind by responding to the legitimate concerns of parents, teachers, and principles, while preserving the foundation that has made the program successful--accountability.   

    Access to affordable, personal health care is an issue that touches every American.  Last year, I introduced the Every American Insured Health Act to provide access to affordable, high-quality health insurance through the free market for all Americans, regardless of age, income or employer. I believe everyone should have access to affordable health care, and I urge my colleagues to work to pass this bill to lower costs and provide access to health care for every American.

    I appreciated the President’s remarks on the economy.  I understand that many North Carolinians have concerns about the economy because of continuing fluctuation in the financial markets and in the housing market.  I continue to believe that the best way to foster economic growth is to keep our taxes low and to keep government spending under control.  I applaud the President’s call to make the tax cuts permanent and I also welcome the President’s pledge to veto appropriations bills that do not adequately cut the number of earmarks.  We have a responsibility to spend the taxpayer’s hard-earned money wisely or not at all, and the President’s pledge to cut wasteful spending will keep more money in the hands of taxpayers.

    Finally, President Bush’s description of the progress made in Iraq was encouraging. Gen. David Petraeus and the brave men and women who are fighting in Iraq have made progress in the past year, and Americans should be proud of their hard work.  I continue to believe we must succeed in Iraq and that success will define the security for our children and for generations to come.”

Comments

[What Gives?]

I commend Rep. Foxx and every representative that moves to cut the PORK that is usually attached to every House and Senate Bill. Earmarks, well anyone that loads down the nations business with them should be flogged in the ears, giving them, what else but REAL EARMARKS!

Now, Ms. Foxx, On Tax Cuts, Sure that sounds good. My question is this. How do we on the over 9 TRILLION dollars of borrowed DEBT, that the United States is using to finance its current out of control spending? Bush enacted TAX cuts and the economy has still gone south, due to the WAR and the high energy costs and so many other factors that have not been addressed. The dollar is devalued so much that countries around the world are unloading them, like the Yen and Pecos of the 70's and 80's. These many trillions of dollars would have been better spent here at home on our own citizens and possibly on programs to rid or decrease dependency on foreign oil. It just has not happened.

On security, Sure BIG BROTHER and Uncle Sam should listen to what the BAD guys are saying and gather intelligence about terrorism. However, I have to take offense and remain firmly against the LAWS that have been passed to allow wiretapping and eavesdropping on American Citizens, laws predicated and enacted in the name of National Security. These practices further erode the principals that our great country was founded upon and the ideals of the U.S. Constitution itself. There is nothing "Common Sense", about our the American Government and Americans spying on other Americans, whenever and where ever they want without first have to show cause. That used to be a fairly big part of an American's rights under our LAW. What is next? No DUE PROCESS? It is SAD that under these new so called, "Terrorism Protection Laws", Americans can be detained without cause or charge, denied due process and can be wiretapped without hardly any oversight. Is this still America?

Personally, I applaud anyone that has argued to help the Veterans. There have been a lot of improvements made, but there is plenty of room for much more. As a disabled Vet, I can speak first hand of the positive impact that the VA can have in helping a person that has been injured while in the service. Still there has to be a way in which to PAY for the help that all Veterans were promised and which they deserve. A TRILLION dollar war is not the answer and the costs of this war will cause more and more hardship and strain to the VA system for years to come. The VA system is a paperwork Hell and although my injury was documented some 30 years ago and went right through when I filed it a couple of years ago, there are many that have to fight for years before their injuries are reckoned with. Coming from a military family, my father, brother, sister and myself served proudly and we support our brothers and sister Veterans that are currently having to fight the system for the care they should be receiving. We were patriotic and loyal in our service to America and in protecting all the Americans that NEVER served. Taking care of the Veterans is long overdue.

So goes the SAD, "State of the Union". In 2008, If we can elect a non-war mongering President, that is fiscally, morally and ethically responsible, and will keep his Oath to uphold the laws of these United States, We will be much better off.

I hear so much about spending and Bush portrays himself as fiscally responsible, but he pays NO Attention to the 9 Trillion dollar deficit and ignores it for his entire 8 years. A balance budget is required and he has failed to address it. Surely it has and will remain to cause the problems with our economy until it is addressed.

What Gives? Mr. Bush?