In his first State of the Union address, President Barack Obama admitted his administration made some mistakes in its first year, but pledged to move ahead with his ambitious social agenda despite obvious nervousness among Democratic lawmakers.
In spite of Obama’s often-defiant rhetoric during last night’s speech – including the pledge “I don’t quit” – Katy-area Rep. Michael McCaul said he believed the President “is finally listening to the American public.”
McCAUL
McCaul said recent reversals for the administration, including the stunning loss of the Senate seat formerly held by the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, may have caught the President’s attention.
“After losing a Senate seat in Massachusetts and a year of failed policies, I’m glad the President is finally listening to the American people and coming around to policies that conservatives have been advocating for years – giving tax breaks to small businesses that create jobs and cutting the capital gains tax,” McCaul said following the speech. “However, the President can’t have it both ways. Cutting some taxes while raising others to pay for new, expensive government programs, doesn’t add up.”
McCaul said Obama and the Democrats need to refocus on the nation’s weak economy instead of pressing forward with their sweeping social agenda.
“What people want and what our country needs is a real commitment to create jobs, improve the economy and cut the deficit, not just expand the welfare state. Unfortunately, the President still does not show a commitment to cut spending,” McCaul noted. “His $250 billion in savings over the next 10 years is merely symbolic, and is a drop in the bucket compared to our trillion dollar annual deficits. A spending freeze on discretionary programs only serves to secure the 57 percent increase in spending that the President approved in his first year in office.”
McCaul added that, at this rate, the nation’s $12.2 trillion national debt will only continue to climb.
“Tonight the President demonstrated that he either fails to understand the severity of our debt, or he prefers to ignore the American people’s cries to stop digging a hole for our children to climb out of,” the congressman said. “If the President is serious about getting America’s fiscal house in order he can start by setting aside his $1.2 trillion government takeover of our healthcare system and instead focus on only the necessary reforms.”
McCaul also again pledged to work with the administration and the Democratic majority to develop alternatives acceptable to the GOP.
“I join the rest of the House Republican leadership in once again offering our proven strategy of creating jobs and stimulating economic growth by permanently cutting taxes for families and small businesses and cutting the record deficit,” McCaul said.
Obama used Wednesday night’s speech to shore up support and urge nervous Democrats to continue moving ahead on health care despite deepening concerns over polls showing eroding public support for the effort.
At the same time, the President attempted to sharpen his focus on the economy, offering a number of tax breaks and incentives to create new jobs.
While he pledged to work with Republicans, Obama made few concessions to appease GOP lawmakers.
Without naming former President George W. Bush, Obama fixed blame for the current economic woes the previous administration.
By: John Pape on Thu, Jan 28, 2010
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