Energy, Health Care Bills Will Kill Jobs, Hurt Economy Say House GOP'ers

By Laura Woodhead - Talk Radio News Service

The energy and health care proposals currently being debated in Congress will be disastrous for the economy, House Republicans said at a press conference Tuesday. Speaking following the weekly House Republican conference, Rep. Mike Pence (R - Ind.) said that the Democrats seem determined to try and pass their bills despite the negative impact they'll have on an already challenged economy. If it were to pass, the American Clean Energy Act and the Democrats' health care plan would be a "disaster for this economy and a disaster for working Americans" he said.

"House Republicans are determined to step forward and demand that this Congress focus on putting this country back on its feet," Pence added.

House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said that there is a strong bi-partisan coalition opposing the current health care proposals.

"Either this bill fails or it changes dramatically," Cantor said. "If the bill fails it will be because of disagreement among the Democrats as to the proper direction to head as far as health care reform is concerned."

"This administration, this President has no one else to blame," he added. "What they ought to be doing is coming to work with us in order to reflect a much more reasoned approach to try and accomplish health care for the American people."

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio.) said that the "President is going to begin his barnstorming" on bills that will kill jobs.

"The stimulus bill isnt working, they bring along this health care bill that will cost 5 million jobs, and they bring this cap and trade bill up last month that will cost us 2.5 million jobs each year for the next ten years. This is not what the American people want."

Boehner called on President Obama to abandon current health care proposals and negotiate with Republicans in order to achieve economically feasible health care reform.

"Mr President, it's time to scrap this bill. It's time to start working in a bi-partisan way," he said.

Boehner Accuses White House Of Lying About Stimulus

By Celia Canon- Talk Radio News Service

During a press conference Wednesday, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio.) said President Obama and Vice President Biden have been telling lies about why the Stimulus package hasn't reversed the nation's spiraling unemployment rate.

“I found it interesting in the last couple of days, the Vice President and the President mentioned the fact they didn't realize how difficult an economic circumstance we were in. Now this is the biggest fabrication I’ve seen since I’ve been in Congress. I’ve sat through those meetings at the White House with the President, the Vice President, trust me there’s not one person that sat in those rooms that didn't know how serious our economic crisis was,” Boehner said.

Reps. John Boehner (R-Ohio.), Mike Pence (R-Ind.) and Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (R-Wa) cautioned that the recent legislation put forth by the Democrats will do nothing but increase taxes which, in the long term, will hinder consumer spending.

“Republicans know and the American people know that what we need is fiscal discipline in Washington D.C and we need to give the American people a tax relief, working families, small businesses and family
farms need more of their hard earned money to put this economy back on its feet,” said Pence.

As for health care, McMorris-Rodgers explained that “We cannot forget that doctors are the experts, we must guard that relationship between the doctor and his patient; it is one of the most valued relationships
that we have,” adding that “We can reform health care, and we can give options to the uninsured without the federal government setting up shop as a big health insurance company or the health care gate keeper.”

Pelosi: Democrats Stand By The IMF

By Celia Canon- Talk Radio News Service

Despite the uncertainties that Congressional Republican leaders have on the efficacy of the reform of the International Monetary Fund, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is adamant that “The IMF will have a strong support from the Democrats.”

Pelosi defended the international organization today at her weekly press conference where she also mentioned the success of her recent bipartisan trip to China.

House Minority Leader John Boehner and Senate Minority Whip Eric Cantormay, backed by other House Representatives who fear that Democrats are fusing two very different entities, the IMF and a bill, together, said that "Weighing down this critical legislation with non-defense spending will only drag this process out further and cost it essential Republican support needed for passage."

Cantor added that “We should not be having this discussion. IMF funding has no business being included in the war supplemental bill,” while adding that the funding may result in helping terror-sponsoring states such as Pakistan.

The debate over funding of the IMF has stemmed from President Barack Obama’s announcement at the April Group of 20 meeting that $100 billion will be granted to the IMF as part of the U.S war-bill which should further the fight against the global economic crisis.

Obama also said that the U.S would support the IMF as it sell 400 tons of gold, whilst Pelosi reminded that “It [the IMF] has been reformed so that it will help the poor. They wanted to sell gold, we said you can, but the proceeds have to go to help the poor.”

Responding to Cantor’s allegations, Pelosi said “I don’t know why anyone would say that the money is going to the hands of terrorists, it’s simply not based on facts and is a scare tactic.”

Pelosi also said “There are two contradictory things: one says that one shouldn’t be on war funding, which is our responsibility to support our troops in the war in Iraq, end the war in Iraq, bring our troops home and fight terrorism where is it a threat to our country, which is in Afghanistan, and we know that we have to do that." She added that “The IMF, in its reformed state, can be a force for alleviating the despair amongst people in the world. It’s a very important national security initiative.”

“The issue of the IMF, I think, has strong support on the Democrats’ side; not any support we’re hearing on the Republican side,” Pelosi said.

This war-bill, which involves military and diplomacy costs for Iraq and Afghanistan, will skyrocket to over $100 billion.

Declaration Of War On The Mid-West

Coffee Brown, University of New Mexico, Talk Radio News

Republican Representatives emerged from a GOP conference with continuing criticism of the Democratic budget.

This Sunday will be National Debt Day, the day on which federal spending surpasses revenue, and it occurs three and a half months earlier this year than last, said John Boehner (R-Ohio). “I attended a taxpayer tea party in Bakersfield, California; people are angry and they’re scared,” he said, “because the kind of spending and borrowing that are going on here are imprisoning their children’s future.”

Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said, “As we come to the end of the first hundred days of this administration, the era of bipartisanship we’d hoped for could be improved. We do want to work together. Washington should be more thoughtful.”

Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) said that constituents are concerned about debt and the future of America and “The fact that we are facing $9 trillion worth of debt, and that’s going to be on the shoulders of our children and our grand-children.” She said that the Democratic budget lacks transparency and oversight. Constituents, she said, have to tighten their belts, while the federal government is “spending like crazy.”

Mary Fallin (R-Okla.) said the oil and gas producers in her fossil-fuel-rich state are very concerned about Obama’s policy of discouraging carbon-emitting energy. She said that jobs and production are already declining in anticipation of policy changes.
Fallin estimated the Cap-and-Trade taxes would hit $30 billion, working out to about $3,000 per year in increased energy costs for an average household, would fall most heavily on the poor and elderly and would cost seven million jobs.

Mike Pence (R-Ind.) said that hearings on Cap-and-Trade begin this week. He said the Democrats are not providing sufficient information about the costs, though Obama has acknowledged in the past that electricity prices would rise. “The reality is the Cap-and-Trade legislation offered by the Democrats amounts to an economic declaration of war on the Mid-West by liberals on Capitol Hill,” he said.

Pence said the $3,000 per household figure came from an M.I.T. study that estimated the total carbon fees and divided them by the total number of households in America. He acknowledged that the administration had promised ways of mitigating the economic impact for those hardest hit, but said that such promises are vague and “illusory.”

Boehner agreed that we must “get serious” about reducing carbon emissions and reducing the need to import oil, but he urged increased nuclear power as the only realistic way to do that.

“The most fiscally irresponsible budget in American history"?

Coffee Brown, University of New Mexico, Talk Radio News

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va,), Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), and Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) presented the broad outline of the Republican budget counter-proposal, stating that details would be forthcoming next week.
Boehner said the President’s proposal “spends, taxes, and borrows too much,” adding “I think it’s completely irresponsible. Our plan curbs spending, creates jobs, and cuts taxes, while controlling the debt.”

Pence called it “the most fiscally irresponsible budget in American history,” saying it calls for “more spending, more government, more bailouts.”

He said the “national energy tax” (Cap-and-Trade) would cost every American household more than $3,000 per year. The increase on marginal tax rates would fall most heavily on small business owners, he said. “We believe it is our obligation to offer a better solution if we are in disagreement,” he finished.

Cantor said the Republicans had presented an alternative stimulus plan and housing plan and were preparing an alternative energy plan as well. He accused the President of turning from a centrist campaign to “ambushing” and “strong-arming” Congress toward a “more ideological” agenda.

Ryan promised the details of the plan next Wednesday on the House floor, calling the president’s version “reckless and irresponsible. It’s a budget that doubles the national debt in 5 and 1/2 years, and triples it in ten and 1/2 years. It’s a budget that increases our national debt and our borrowing more than in all prior presidencies.”


The pamphlet accompanying the announcement was 18 pages long and contained no specifics, but outlined broad policies, such as promoting nuclear power, encouraging enrollment in private insurance plans, reducing spending, reducing taxes, liberalizing exploration for oil in areas currently protected for environmental reasons, and ending “bailouts.”