Keene Sentinel: Save and sacrifice: It’s Washington’s turn
Posted 02/01/2010 by Paul Hodes
For the past year, middle-class families across New Hampshire have sat down at their kitchen tables and made tough choices. They have cut their budgets, tightened their belts and made do with less. They have saved and sacrificed.
Now it’s time for Washington to do the same. The failed economic policies of the past left us with record-high deficits and a system full of uncontrolled spending, careless waste, and financial policies that drove our hard-working middle class into the ground. For too long, “business as usual” meant big business trampling small business – Wall Street profiting while Main Street struggled.
We need to get back on the right fiscal track. And that means ending bailouts, cutting back on Washington waste and pork, and taking a serious look at spending across the board.
Last year, I voted against the Wall Street bailout because I didn’t believe there was enough accountability and oversight of New Hampshire tax dollars. Instead of lending money to small businesses, Wall Street kept taxpayer dollars for big bonuses and business as usual. Just a few months ago, I introduced legislation that would end the bailout and use the remaining money to help pay down the deficit and put us back on the path to fiscal stability.
Federal earmarks are another area where we can cut wasteful spending, which is why I called for an end to the earmark system in Washington. The process is wasteful and ethically tainted, and we need voices on both sides of the aisle to come together to change business as usual.
Unfortunately, one of my Republican opponents Kelly Ayotte has said that she would support earmarks as a U.S. Senator and has been wholly silent on ideas to reduce our deficit and rein in government spending. I believe it’s time for Washington to get serious about fiscal discipline, and that means making bold choices and challenging the status quo.
We also need to look at spending across the board. President Obama just announced a plan to freeze non-security discretionary spending for the next three years – something I first called for over a year ago. It’s a crucial first step toward getting our nation’s checkbook in order, but the government needs to go further. We need to comb through the budget and spare no program a top-to-bottom review.
My Republican opponents were against Senator Gregg’s proposal to create a bipartisan panel to cut Washington spending and reduce the deficit, an idea that I strongly supported. The panel would have cut through the partisan gridlock and forced Washington to get serious about reducing our debt.
Business as usual in Washington just won’t do anymore. We don’t need the same failed economic polices and partisan bickering that led us to gridlock, record deficits and crippling job loss. We need a real dialogue on how we can invest again in our middle class while being fiscally responsible and forward-thinking.
New Hampshire’s middle-class families have sacrificed diligently over the past year. It’s time for Washington to clean up its act and do the same.
Congressman Paul W. Hodes represents New Hampshire’s 2nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Hodes is running for the N.H. Senate seat held by the retiring Judd Gregg.
Now it’s time for Washington to do the same. The failed economic policies of the past left us with record-high deficits and a system full of uncontrolled spending, careless waste, and financial policies that drove our hard-working middle class into the ground. For too long, “business as usual” meant big business trampling small business – Wall Street profiting while Main Street struggled.
We need to get back on the right fiscal track. And that means ending bailouts, cutting back on Washington waste and pork, and taking a serious look at spending across the board.
Last year, I voted against the Wall Street bailout because I didn’t believe there was enough accountability and oversight of New Hampshire tax dollars. Instead of lending money to small businesses, Wall Street kept taxpayer dollars for big bonuses and business as usual. Just a few months ago, I introduced legislation that would end the bailout and use the remaining money to help pay down the deficit and put us back on the path to fiscal stability.
Federal earmarks are another area where we can cut wasteful spending, which is why I called for an end to the earmark system in Washington. The process is wasteful and ethically tainted, and we need voices on both sides of the aisle to come together to change business as usual.
Unfortunately, one of my Republican opponents Kelly Ayotte has said that she would support earmarks as a U.S. Senator and has been wholly silent on ideas to reduce our deficit and rein in government spending. I believe it’s time for Washington to get serious about fiscal discipline, and that means making bold choices and challenging the status quo.
We also need to look at spending across the board. President Obama just announced a plan to freeze non-security discretionary spending for the next three years – something I first called for over a year ago. It’s a crucial first step toward getting our nation’s checkbook in order, but the government needs to go further. We need to comb through the budget and spare no program a top-to-bottom review.
My Republican opponents were against Senator Gregg’s proposal to create a bipartisan panel to cut Washington spending and reduce the deficit, an idea that I strongly supported. The panel would have cut through the partisan gridlock and forced Washington to get serious about reducing our debt.
Business as usual in Washington just won’t do anymore. We don’t need the same failed economic polices and partisan bickering that led us to gridlock, record deficits and crippling job loss. We need a real dialogue on how we can invest again in our middle class while being fiscally responsible and forward-thinking.
New Hampshire’s middle-class families have sacrificed diligently over the past year. It’s time for Washington to clean up its act and do the same.
Congressman Paul W. Hodes represents New Hampshire’s 2nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Hodes is running for the N.H. Senate seat held by the retiring Judd Gregg.
