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1,000 Days

Jan 24, 2012 | Blog

Today, when the President gives the State of the Union address, we also mark 1,000 days since Senate Democrats and the President have passed a budget. That means since April 29, 2009, Washington has been on a rudderless spending binge with absolutely no restraint. This spending spree has added $4.5 trillion in new debt to our tab and has enabled our overall debt to surpass $15 trillion. Last year, the President’s budget proposal, which would have spent almost $46 trillion and raised taxes on large and small businesses, failed in the Senate 97-0. This means not even one member of his own party could support his reckless job-killing agenda.
 
In March of last year, I outlined the importance of reigning in Washington’s out-of-control spending and pursuing policies that will give certainty to job creators in the private sector. Keeping America exceptional requires a serious plan that would ideally include fundamental pro-growth tax reform, regulatory reform, meaningful cuts to discretionary spending, a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution, and reforms to save Social Security and Medicare.
 
The Majority Leader in the Senate, Harry Reid, said it would be “foolish” to pass a budget. I disagree. As we mark the 1,000th day since Senate Democrats have passed a budget – a fundamental element of governing – it is clear that those in Washington worrying more about their next reelection than making the tough choices to get our nation on a sustainable fiscal path are the ones being foolish.