Shuster's Op-ed on the Stimulus

Congressman Shuster wrote an op-ed on the Democrats' stimulus bill that has been published in newspapers throughout the 9th district.  The op-ed is posted below along with links to papers that have carried it:

Fix the Stimulus

By Congressman Bill Shuster

In times of national emergency Americans look to the President and Congress for leadership to fix the problems we face.  Our economy is in recession. Day after day, we hear reports of job cuts, bankruptcies and stock losses. Confidence in our economy is shaken and we need reassurance that our nation can regain its economic vitality.

Congress must put politics aside and put Americans first. President Obama has said that something must be done to stimulate our economy and I agree. But apparently, Speaker Pelosi and Democrat leaders in Congress thought President Obama said to spend a trillion dollars of our children’s and grandchildren’s money on wasteful liberal programs that drive up the national debt and do little to stimulate our economy. 

The Democrats’ stimulus plan will cost over a trillion dollars. Very few of the dollars spent will actually create jobs in the Democrats’ stimulus bill. Less than 10 percent is directed towards transportation and infrastructure – yet those funds will be responsible for creating nearly HALF of the new jobs slated for creation in the stimulus.  The rest of the money will feed an already bloated federal government.

Creating 30 new government programs at the cost of $130 billion will not move people out of the unemployment line. Nor do I see how $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts, $500 million for climate satellites and $500 million for habitat restoration programs jump starts our economy.  Conservative estimates show that every billion we invest in infrastructure creates 28,000 jobs, yet less than 10 percent of the bill invests in this proven job creator. 

Rather than accept a stimulus that is long on waste and short on substance, House Republicans have an alternative that packs a lasting punch to help hard working families through these difficult times. Under the Republican plan, we can create twice as many jobs - 6.2 million to be specific – at half the cost of the Democrats’ bill. We’d do this by focusing on significant long term tax cuts for families and small businesses, providing tax credits to home buyers, and by cutting waste that has no stimulating impact on our economy.       

The best way to create jobs and grow our economy is to empower hard working Americans to keep and spend more of their own money.  Lower taxes lead to job growth, and if we create jobs we won’t need the expanded social spending that the Democrats have made the focus of their “stimulus.”

My Republican colleagues and I have offered common sense solutions to the crisis we face.  Up until now, they have been ignored due to Speaker Pelosi and the Democrat controlled Congress’ fixation on radically expanding an already bloated federal government. House Republicans continue to side with the American taxpayer and will not stop fighting for solutions that work.    

The Somerset Daily American:Not a Working Solution

Chambersburg Public Opinion: House Republicans have ideas to fix stimulus bill 

Altoona Mirror: Lower Taxes will Create More Jobs: