When the Administration released its budget proposal for 2013, it unfortunately repeated a story that has grown old – one of increasing deficits, growing debt, and rising doubt. In contrast, this week the House Budget Committee released its own proposal which presents the American people with a clear choice between two futures: a future of greater opportunity and prosperity or of more debt, doubt and decline.
A Choice in Spending
Out-of-control spending has long been a Washington epidemic. During the Bush Administration, I warned the President about his pattern of spending. It was a problem at the time, and the current Administration has regrettably doubled down on the mistakes of the past by accelerating our growing debt.
Instead of speeding faster toward the approaching cliff, the Budget Committee’s Path to Prosperity makes prioritized, not blind, spending reductions to decrease the size of government, reduce the debt and stabilize spending within our means. Compared to the President’s 2013 budget, the Path to Prosperity cuts government spending by $5 trillion.
A Choice in Taxes
Taxes fuel government growth. The Joint Economic Committee found in seven major initiatives that for every dollar in higher taxes, the government spent nearly twice that amount, $1.91. The math here is not difficult. Increasing taxes makes our country less competitive, while only fueling more government spending, borrowing and debt. Meanwhile, politically-connected companies and individuals still make use of loopholes to avoid paying taxes.
The Path to Prosperity would reform our broken tax code, making it simple, fair, and competitive. Instead of increasing taxes and spending, it would close loopholes - which are disproportionately available to the rich - and lower the tax rate for everyone.
A Choice in Safety Nets
Even if Medicare physicians’ reimbursements were cut by 30 percent, Medicare is still expected to go bankrupt in 12 years. The President has stated that if we want to preserve Medicare for future generations, we have to reform the program. Unfortunately, he hasn’t offered any reform; instead, the President’s health care law raided half a trillion dollars from Medicare to fund other programs.
We must save and strengthen our nation’s health and retirement security programs. The government has proven unwilling to advance solutions to the fiscal problems plaguing these 20th century models; yet the President’s health care law puts these government bureaucrats in charge of deciding what care patients can receive. Patients, not insurance companies and not government bureaucrats, should have control over their care. That was the original promise of Medicare and it should be kept.
The Path to Prosperity would not alter Medicare for those in and near retirement. But it does save Medicare for future generations by giving younger workers the opportunity to choose among guaranteed coverage options – including a traditional Medicare model. This successful competitive model is the type of health care that is offered to Members of Congress and other federal employees. Moreover, it is a bipartisan proposal first introduced by Chairman Ryan with Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and modeled after President Clinton’s Medicare Commission’s recommendations.
The President has laid out his vision for the future. We have laid out another - based on limited but effective government and a growing economy. It is your country, your future, your choice.
Sincerely,
Daniel E. Lungren
Member of Congress
A Choice in Spending
Out-of-control spending has long been a Washington epidemic. During the Bush Administration, I warned the President about his pattern of spending. It was a problem at the time, and the current Administration has regrettably doubled down on the mistakes of the past by accelerating our growing debt.
Instead of speeding faster toward the approaching cliff, the Budget Committee’s Path to Prosperity makes prioritized, not blind, spending reductions to decrease the size of government, reduce the debt and stabilize spending within our means. Compared to the President’s 2013 budget, the Path to Prosperity cuts government spending by $5 trillion.A Choice in Taxes
Taxes fuel government growth. The Joint Economic Committee found in seven major initiatives that for every dollar in higher taxes, the government spent nearly twice that amount, $1.91. The math here is not difficult. Increasing taxes makes our country less competitive, while only fueling more government spending, borrowing and debt. Meanwhile, politically-connected companies and individuals still make use of loopholes to avoid paying taxes.
The Path to Prosperity would reform our broken tax code, making it simple, fair, and competitive. Instead of increasing taxes and spending, it would close loopholes - which are disproportionately available to the rich - and lower the tax rate for everyone.
A Choice in Safety Nets
Even if Medicare physicians’ reimbursements were cut by 30 percent, Medicare is still expected to go bankrupt in 12 years. The President has stated that if we want to preserve Medicare for future generations, we have to reform the program. Unfortunately, he hasn’t offered any reform; instead, the President’s health care law raided half a trillion dollars from Medicare to fund other programs.
We must save and strengthen our nation’s health and retirement security programs. The government has proven unwilling to advance solutions to the fiscal problems plaguing these 20th century models; yet the President’s health care law puts these government bureaucrats in charge of deciding what care patients can receive. Patients, not insurance companies and not government bureaucrats, should have control over their care. That was the original promise of Medicare and it should be kept.
The Path to Prosperity would not alter Medicare for those in and near retirement. But it does save Medicare for future generations by giving younger workers the opportunity to choose among guaranteed coverage options – including a traditional Medicare model. This successful competitive model is the type of health care that is offered to Members of Congress and other federal employees. Moreover, it is a bipartisan proposal first introduced by Chairman Ryan with Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and modeled after President Clinton’s Medicare Commission’s recommendations.
The President has laid out his vision for the future. We have laid out another - based on limited but effective government and a growing economy. It is your country, your future, your choice.
Sincerely,
Daniel E. Lungren
Member of Congress
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