Corker Says President’s Speech is What Country Needed

Tennessee Repbulican Senator Bob Corker set himself apart from the officical GOP response that criticized President Barack Obama’s speech on the economy last night.

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal said the stimulus package was “irresponsible” and would lead to higher taxes. But Corker said the President’s address was what the country needed to hear.

“It’s hard to dispute many of the goals he laid out. I think…I hope the country was lifted up by the talk. I look forward to focusing with him on how we solve this credit issue and reforming healthcare in a way that, in fact, keeps people having a choice and the ability to get that care through the private sector.”

Other Tennessee Republicans, like House Member Marsha Blackburn sided with Governor Jindal saying she she worried about the cost of the President’s economic proposals.

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Several members of Tennessee’s congressional delegation quickly issued their response to the President’s address.

Republican Senator Lamar Alexander:

“We want to work with the president to get the economy moving. The way to do that is first, fix housing by providing low-interest mortgages for millions of creditworthy Americans and $15,000 tax credits for homebuyers to create instant jobs. The banking and credit crisis must be dealt with head on so students, farmers, and businessmen and women can get loans.

“I am glad to hear the president is ready to work on the deficit so our children and grandchildren aren’t burdened with a terrific new debt. We should start by making sure Americans are confident they’ll receive Social Security checks and moving this year to get health care costs under control.”

Republican Marsha Blackburn:

“What we heard tonight was a sometimes sober, sometimes hopeful assessment of where we are as a country. I appreciate the President’s candor tonight, as well as the actions he took this week to reach across the aisle.”

“Over and over again the President cited government as the solution to our many challenges. This is a basic philosophical disagreement that I have with him. While many of his proposals may have merit, I worry that their cost, and the resulting debt we will have to carry, limits our potential as a country instead of strengthening it. I voted against wasteful spending and needless debt in the previous administration and will hold this one to the same standard.”

“This week Congress is expected to increase federal spending 8 percent over last year, on top of the massive spending we have already passed. I believe we should look to cut waste first and have proposed bills to do so. The President proposed more money to the states to balance their budgets. I have proposed a plan which rebates state taxes and keeps the money in the family budget. The President asks us to trust the government to secure access to healthcare. I have proposed legislation that would stop government from forcing costly and irrational healthcare choices on Americans, before we allow it to do more. In each case I truly believe that we are better served when we rely on the ingenuity of our people, rather than the largess of our government.”

From House Democrat John Tanner:

 

Economy and Housing

“Almost everyone agrees that working families in Tennessee and across the country are being negatively affected by the deepest economic crisis most of us have ever seen. The President clearly recognizes this is an urgent priority, and he is committed to working with both parties to continue addressing these challenges.

“Economists from every point on the political spectrum have said federal action was necessary to stop the downward deflationary spiral that has cost thousands of jobs in West and Middle Tennessee. Without this action to address our short-term economic needs, our long-term financial outlook would be even bleaker than it is today.”

Budget Reform

“The President’s commitment to medium- and long-term budget reform is refreshing, following several years of irresponsible fiscal policy and dishonest budgeting. He also discussed this commitment at Monday’s bipartisan Fiscal Responsibility Summit, in which I participated.

“My Blue Dog colleagues and I are particularly pleased to hear the President discuss the common-sense ‘pay as you go’ budget rules we have long supported and which every Tennessee family and business uses when balancing its own books. Once our most immediate economic concerns are addressed, we can continue working toward a sustainable future for our children and grandchildren.”

Afghanistan and NATO

“Having just returned from our work at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, I know we are making some progress in repairing strained relationships with some of our longest-standing allies. We need their help in fighting the global war against radical fundamentalism, a NATO-led fight currently based in Afghanistan. It is our hope that the United States’ commitment to sending more troops to Afghanistan will encourage our NATO allies to engage further.”

House Democrat Lincoln Davis:

“As a conservative Blue Dog Democrat, I am pleased to hear the President’s commitment to return our budget to fiscal responsibility,” said Congressman Lincoln Davis. “If working families have to go line by line through their own budgets to make ends meet, Washington should do the same.”

The President’s speech also touched on his domestic priorities, including healthcare reform and energy independence. “If we are to put our economy back on track, we have to reduce the cost of healthcare both for consumers and for providers,” said Davis.

In addition to his domestic agenda, the President addressed foreign affairs and national security issues. “Our struggling economy has certainly taken over the spotlight, but that does not relieve us of our duty to keep Americans safe at home and abroad,” said Davis.

Republican Congressman Zach Wamp:

“President Obama’s delivery of the state of our union was confident, but I am not confident that his agenda is the right approach for America. While I support efforts to eliminate wasteful spending and reduce the growth of government in order to reduce the deficit, adding a tax burden on small business owners and employers is no way to increase jobs or grow the economy. Unfortunately, the confidence and trust in Washington has been lost and borrowing more money or wildly spending will not help restore the essential confidence that consumers and entrepreneurs require.

“The liberal leadership of Congress will not turn the ‘ship of state’ back on a proper course, but with reasonable policies we can move in the right direction. An across-the-board freeze on spending would restore confidence to the markets and the home front. This is a time for less and not more, but our military is spread too thin, needs resources and deployments that are more sustainable. Reductions in our military preparedness could prove very detrimental over time. A foreign policy that puts America first and protects our sovereignty is now in order.

“My prayer is that our President understands this and recommends policies that protect our vital interests while balancing the proper role of government during a severe economic downturn.”