Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Isakson: "Washington is Making it Worse"
Delivers Message from GA Constituents that Lack of Action on Federal Spending, Regulations is Harming Country

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today spoke on the Senate floor to deliver the message from his Georgia constituents that Washington is making our economy worse through skyrocketing debt, deficits and overregulation.

Isakson discussed how he held a telephone townhall meeting Tuesday evening with more than 3,500 Georgians and took questions on federal spending, debt, federal regulations, illegal immigration, and several other issues. During today’s floor speech, Isakson conveyed to his Senate colleagues that Georgians are “frightened for their jobs, the value of their home, the education of their children and they are uncertain about their future.”

“As we face the crisis of a $14 trillion debt and a deficit of $1.5 trillion—that’s $300 billion more than discretionary spending, we ought to be talking about debt reduction, deficit reduction and a long-term plan to amortize the debt of this country to a reasonable level. We ought to be sitting around the kitchen table in the Senate, just like Americans everywhere have had to do, and reprioritize the way we spend money to begin to rein in our expenditures, lower our deficit and lower our debt,” Isakson said.

The federal government will reach the debt ceiling on Aug. 2, 2011, if Congress fails to vote to raise the debt ceiling. Isakson believes Congress should vote to raise the debt ceiling only if it also takes significant steps to stop the out-of-control spending in Washington at the same time. Isakson today voiced his frustration that the Senate has failed to begin the debate on this critical issue with the deadline fast approaching.

“Congress is confronted with a vote on the debt ceiling. I’ve heard political statements made by people from both parties where there is a game of chicken being played. Some say we are going to pitch it up to August 2 for a vote, and if we don’t increase the debt ceiling, we will run the risk of hurting America’s credit and increasing interest rates. Others are saying that we are not going to do anything on the debt increase, period, until the last minute. That’s not the way to run a business. That’s not the way to run a country.

“When I answered questions last night in a telephone townhall meeting it became even clearer to me that Washington is making things worse. The American people want confidence that we will address the debt problem, the deficit problem and that we’re working on it together instead of playing chicken politics in the United States Senate. 

“We have a clock that is winding down on a debt ceiling increase and it is going to be important to this country. Without substantial reform of the way we do business, without a game plan to reduce our debt and deficit and without an indication that we are going to work together and have shared sacrifice, there is nothing at all that we can do in this government except cause things to be worse—and I don’t want to be a part of that.

“I challenge my colleagues to address these problems and to do one more thing: hold a telephone townhall in the next few weeks. Talk to 3,500 citizens in your state and listen to the questions they are asking. They are scared, they are worried and they are threatened—and Washington is making it worse,” Isakson said.