The November 2010 elections sent an influx of conservatives to Congress with a genuine desire to solve our country’s biggest challenges. But make no mistake, the troubles Americans have faced in recent years have not yet been conquered.
Millions remain unable to find a job. Washington continues to spend and borrow way too much. ObamaCare puts unconstitutional demands on citizens even as health care costs keep going up. The structural weaknesses that endanger Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security have not yet been fixed.
Conservatives spent the past year confronting these challenges head on. The Republican Study Committee proposed the Jobs Through Growth Act to grow our economy with less red tape, more energy production, and a simpler, flatter tax code. We voted to repeal ObamaCare and worked toward lowering costs through greater choice and competition.
Our Cut, Cap, and Balance plan would have finally forced Washington to live within its means. And our budget attempted to strengthen Medicare & Social Security while giving States the flexibility they need in Medicaid to prevent it from breaking the bank.
Through it all, we hoped the Democrats controlling the Senate and White House were willing to work with us in the interest of country. Unfortunately, the President spent the past year trying to boost his own chances for reelection by avoiding real cooperation. It is a cynical strategy, and Senate Democrats happily played along.
So far, all signs point to more of the same in 2012. So where does that leave us? I agree with Senator Ron Johnson. Our only choice is to continue providing Americans an unambiguous contrast between the liberal and conservative visions for our nation’s future.
It must be crystal clear who supports government growth vs. private sector growth.
It must be crystal clear who lives in a fairy tale world with no limits on spending and debt vs. the real world where families, businesses, and governments must seek to live within their means.
It must be crystal clear who puts their faith in government mandates and venture socialism vs. liberty and free enterprise.
The conservatives in the Republican Study Committee will not waver. We will continue to defend the cause of liberty and seek out real solutions to the challenges at hand. We will because we must.
God Bless,
Jim Jordan, Chairman
The Republican Study Committee
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