Well, if you would have told me when I came to Congress eight years ago that I would be voting on a "stimulus" package totaling nearly a trillion dollars, I wouldn't have believed you. But that's where we are. A deal has been struck and the House will vote today.
In truth, there is very little stimulus in this stimulus bill. At best, it wastes billions of dollars on marginal projects, many of which have no federal nexus.
At worst, it institutionalizes hundreds of new programs that will endure far beyond this present crisis. In addition, some of the the language in this legislation puts us a good distance down the road toward government rationing of health care.
I've heard from many of you over the past several weeks, and I appreciate your comments and suggestions. I'm voted no, as you might have guessed.
This one isn't even a close call.This new spending, once in place, will be tough to roll back. Those of us who believe in limited government and free markets will have taken a serious blow if this legislation passes.
If there is a silver lining here, it is that, after a long hibernation, congressional Republicans, on the whole, seem to have awakened and are acting like Republicans again. For the first time in years, there is a discernable difference between Republicans and Democrats on fiscal issues. If this lasts, I'm convinced we'll come roaring back a year from November.
I know that many of you are doing all you can to expose some of the more egregious aspects of the stimulus bill. Please keep it up. If we can't win this fight, let's ready ourselves for the next battle.
Thanks for all that you do!
Jeff Flake
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