"‘Our country is too large to have all its affairs directed by a single government. Public servants at such a distance, and from under the eye of their constituents, must, from the circumstance of distance, be unable to administer and overlook all the details necessary for the good government of the citizens, and the same circumstance, by rendering detection impossible to their constituents, will invite the public agents to corruption, plunder and waste. And I do verily believe, that if the principle were to prevail, of a common law being in force in the United States…, it would become the most corrupt government on the earth…What an augmentation of the field for jobbing, speculation, plundering, office-building, and office-hunting would be produced by an assumption of all the State powers into the hands of the General Government.’ -- Thomas Jefferson, 1800
After the House voted 219-212 to pass the Democrats' health care takeover package late Sunday night, I included these words as part of my press release reacting to the vote. These words still ring true today as much as they did over 200 years ago, except our government has all but ignored their meaning.
This past year, the President and Democratic leaders in Congress gathered in back rooms away from the American people and twisted arms to get just enough votes through deals and handouts to pass their legislation. They broke promises of open debate and transparency, and instead of working with Republicans and implementing common sense reforms that wouldn't’t break the bank, they went it alone and spent more money we just don’t have.
Future generations will pay the price for our government’s arrogance and recklessness, and the American people won’t ever forget the irresponsible actions of this Administration and Congress.
This afternoon I filed legislation to repeal Obamacare in hopes that we can start from scratch and give the American people true health care reform that won't break the bank nor rob us of our individual liberty and freedom. There's too much at stake to simply give up now.
