Congressman's view: Constituents asked for vote against debt deal
Less than nine months ago, the people of the 8th Congressional District elected me to represent them in Congress. While on the campaign trail, the message — from Democrats, Republicans and independents — was loud and clear: Our country’s financial health is in dire shape. People were tired of government wasting their hard-earned dollars and borrowing it on the backs of their children. Voters’ worries were high unemployment, exploding deficits and the sputtering economy.By: U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack, Duluth News Tribune
Less than nine months ago, the people of the 8th Congressional District elected me to represent them in Congress. While on the campaign trail, the message — from Democrats, Republicans and independents — was loud and clear: Our country’s financial health is in dire shape. People were tired of government wasting their hard-earned dollars and borrowing it on the backs of their children. Voters’ worries were high unemployment, exploding deficits and the sputtering economy.
Unfortunately, the economic picture is no brighter today. Unemployment is at 9.2 percent, higher than when I took office in January. The recently announced, second-quarter growth rate of the economy came in at a meager 1.3 percent. The American people have little confidence that things are moving in the right direction, and I share those concerns.
On Monday evening, I could not support my party in the House of Representatives, and I voted against the Budget Control Act to address the national debt limit. While I commend the leadership for its efforts, the bill did not address our nation’s critical fiscal needs, including savings to projected budget levels, enforceable spending controls and a vote on a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution before the second tranche of debt-limit increase.
As I maintain at town hall meetings throughout the district, I am a numbers guy. The numbers in the bill that passed in the House last Friday, and Monday night, simply did not add up. This bill would not protect our AAA bond rating or sufficiently rein in the reckless borrowing and spending that has plagued Washington for far too long. Let me be clear: This is not a partisan issue; politicians from both parties have contributed to this problem over decades of irresponsibility. Compromise is not compromise if it does not solve the problem.
In addition to adequate savings, enforceable spending controls and a vote on a balanced budget amendment, I evaluated the debt compromise according to the following criteria: Does it protect our credit rating? Does it increase our ratio of spending relative to GDP? Does it increase our long-term debt without having a mechanism to rein in spending, thereby protecting our children’s futures? And does it protect seniors on Medicare, Social Security and veterans’ benefits?
Unfortunately, the Budget Control Act passed by the House does not protect our bond rating, provide adequate savings to stop our downward spending spiral or ensure future prosperity by guaranteeing that a balanced budget amendment is sent to the states for a vote before the second installment of the debt-limit increase. In addition, this bill risks cutting 50 percent in current military spending, endangering our national security amid an ever-
increasing and varied level of credible threats targeting the U.S. and our military operations.
Last week, I joined Democrats and Republicans and voted to raise the debt ceiling as part of the “cut, cap and balance” bill, the only real solution that has been put forward. This legislation would provide the $2.4 trillion increase in the debt ceiling that President Obama seeks. Additionally, the bill contains adequate savings to reduce the deficit and enforceable caps on future spending; protects Social Security, Medicare, and veterans’ benefits; and mandates a vote on a balanced budget amendment before the next election to avert a debt crisis, national default and a credit rating downgrade. This common-sense solution passed in the House with bipartisan support. Unfortunately, Senate leaders refused debate on this important legislation.
My vote against the Budget Control Act was not the first and will certainly not be the last time I vote independently of Republican leaders and stand up for the people of the 8th District. In my short time in Congress, I have stood firm on labor issues affecting many communities in Northeastern Minnesota. On at least three occasions, I voted against my party’s attempts to weaken Davis-Bacon laws that would have directly affected union members and their families.
I gave my word to advocate the core, fiscally conservative principles my constituents in the 8th District entrusted upon me in November. I will always put your concerns first and vote our shared principles — not the party line. I will remain your independent voice in Washington.
U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack, a Republican, represents Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District. He wrote this exclusively for the News Tribune.
Tags: local view, opinion, editorials, politics, money
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