Congressman Dent's Reaction to Obama's SOTU Address

“I appreciate that the President wants to focus on creating jobs and cutting spending — two areas which I’ve been supporting throughout the past year, and which the Congressional majority has ignored. The federal government doesn’t create jobs; the federal government must foster an environment for the people to create jobs. The agenda going forward must be a complete reversal of the 2009 agenda if we’re going to grow our economy and get our fiscal house in order.

“The most important domestic issue facing this Congress is our rising unemployment levels. We must take steps to turn this economy and promote job creation. More ‘jobs legislation’ that just spends money recklessly, like the ‘stimulus’ bill, isn’t the answer. Instead of helping, Washington has been hindering a sustainable recovery. Congress needs to kill the ‘cap and trade’ bill that is basically a national energy tax; start from scratch on health care reform that focuses on lower costs instead of massive taxes; and cut taxes for small businesses and innovators who will invest their money more wisely than Congress.

“The other issue that is worrying Americans is Washington’s runaway spending. I’m glad the President acknowledges that government is spending too much money. The President’s proposed budget freeze is a good step, but it pales in comparison to the massive spending increases of the past year that precede it. This Administration and Congress have increased non-defense domestic discretionary spending by 22 percent in a year – and if you include the failed ‘stimulus,’ it’s more than 65 percent. Our yearly deficits, which were coming down in my first two years in Congress, now exceed $1 trillion. This is unsustainable.

“In addition to putting a hold on new spending, we need to call back unspent funds from the ‘stimulus,’ plus end the Troubled Asset Relief Program and dedicate all repaid funds to deficit reduction.

“Until the President and Congress commit to real economic solutions instead of expensive gimmicks, and until Washington quits its growing spending habit, the goals outlined by the President will remain a distant pipe-dream.”