Putting Our Nation's Fiscal House in Order

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Mrs. HARTZLER. Thank you. I sure appreciate your leadership on this issue and drawing attention to the very real crisis that we have in this country and the very real opportunity we have.

You know, the real issue that is before us today is that it's time for Washington to stop spending money it doesn't have and the fact that Washington has a spending problem, not a taxing problem.

The President's proposal is a nonstarter, and it's a red herring. It might sound good to some, but it doesn't solve the problem, and we are problem solvers and that's what we're here to do.

Even if we gave the President what he wants and raised taxes on family business owners in America, it would only generate enough revenue to fund the government for 8 days. It would not make a dent in our yearly deficit or reduce our national debt.

Only by creating jobs and reducing spending will we balance our budget, and the American people understand that.

I would love to share with you a few comments that I received. I don't know about you and your office, but I've received hundreds of emails and phone calls from people at home who want to weigh in on this very important issue, and I love their commonsense advice. You know, the best knowledge and expertise on these issues is from the people. It's not from the bureaucrats here in Washington, D.C.

Here's just a few of the comments that I've received this week from people back home. Mike in Sedalia says: The issue is not the raising of taxes, but good solid budget cuts.

Curtis from Lebanon said: There are still a bunch of us out here that do not want a spend and tax government. New taxes mean new spending.

And I thought that was a great comment, especially with the President's proposal that he brought forth the other day when he wanted more stimulus spending. So the cuts that he was proposing, just like Curtis said, were just going to be immediately funneled over to new wasteful stimulus spending. They would have nothing to do with reducing the debt or the deficit. I thought Curtis was right on.

We have Lawrence from Pleasant Hill. He said: Good morning Representative Hartzler. I know we are being told we are at the edge of a fiscal cliff. We did not arrive there by not paying enough taxes. The Federal Government spends insane amounts of money, and even by reducing us all to serfs, the taxes will not cover the spending.

Well said.

Here's Jerri from Lamar. She said: Please stop spending our money. Walk away from the table if they are not willing to stop wasting our hard-earned money. Reform the entitlements and lower the taxes. Nothing else, in my opinion, is acceptable. Do not go back to the Clinton era. That administration led us into a recession. And do not raise the inheritance tax.

And then listen to this. She said: I am from a family of farmers. That will kill our family and many others and make it impossible to keep farms that have been in our family for generations. That is the most unfair tax there is. This country will not survive more blows to small business and the middle class. Stop the insanity and stop it soon.

And finally, from Patricia in Jefferson City, she said: I want to voice my opinion on what has happened in Washington right now. Politicians have put us in this mess with excessive spending. I want to see huge spending cuts out of the Federal spending before I see any taxes.

Now, that's common sense. That's the voice of the American people.

You know, Missouri is the Show Me State, and I believe it's time for Washington to show the hardworking taxpayers of my State and every State that they understand it's time for Washington to do what we do at home, and that's live within our means by cutting spending, tightening our belts, and not raising taxes on any American.

Washington would be better off focusing on job creation to raise revenue rather than taking more money from its citizens.

So that's the common sense from Missouri I wanted to share tonight, gentlelady, and I sure appreciate your leadership on this issue.

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