New Blog

This blog and the First District Blog will be combining into a new Mississippi Congress Blog that will post on all four districts. All old posts and comments will be moved as well.

Harper on Stimulus Package

Congressman Gregg Harper wrote in Saturday's Clarion Ledger why he voted against the Stimulus Package.

Last week, I joined 177 Republicans and 11 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives in opposing the economic stimulus package rushed to the floor by the liberal Democratic leadership.

This bill bypassed the standard committee process. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., forced this bill to the floor without time for the House of Representatives and you, the voters, to have a full understanding of exactly what is hidden within the 647 pages of a bill that would ultimately cost taxpayers nearly $1.2 trillion in new federal government debt.

Not only does this legislation expand numerous federal programs, it creates 32 new government programs. During a time when Americans are losing jobs and small businesses are struggling to stay afloat, we should not expand a federal government that is already too large.

I joined House Republicans in supporting an alternative plan that would create double the number of jobs at half the cost. However, the Republican plan was defeated on the House floor.

As I have said before, the American people know we cannot borrow and spend our way back to prosperity.

It encouraged David M. Caballero of Jackson to respond with a letter-to-the-editor.

Third District U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper listed on his Web site a few reasons why he voted against the stimulus bill.

Let me list the items he forgot to mention: $153 billion to help states provide medical care; $103 billion to repair roads, bridges, and waterlines; $159 billion in educational grants so our children can afford college; and $275 billion in tax cuts.

Did Harper forget Mississippi? We desperately need help with our medical system (annually ranked one of the worst in the nation); our roads, even in the capital, are a disgrace; our children are unable to afford college because of low-paying jobs and increasing tuition.

Rep. Harper ran on new leadership but he is just more of the same Bush-style incompetence. Even though 33 percent of the stimulus bill is tax cuts, Harper won't accept it. If he cannot have his 100 percent tax cuts, then the people get nothing.

He threatens us with poverty and depression unless he has it his way.

I have a suspicion that David M. Caballero did not vote for Gregg Harper before this anyway. But that's just me.

Conservative Divide: Childers-Thompson / Harper-Taylor

In the first defining vote of the year, Bennie Thompson (D) and Travis Childers (D) voted for the trillion dollar deficit stimulus package; Gene Taylor (D) and Gregg Harper (R) voted against it. Zero Republicans in the House of Representatives voted for H.R. 1, and 11 conservative Democrats joined the GOP in voting against it.

Taylor had some choice words on Obama's trillion dollar deficit, "President Obama ran on change. This isn't change. George Bush during the height of the war cut taxes, increased spending, doubled the national debt on his watch. And this is just more of the same, in my opinion...This is nuts."

Childers said he "teetered" with his vote, "Here's what just pushed me I guess, and I don't mind telling you, I really kind of teetered for the last couple of days on this. But this is what just finally made me vote for it. Number one, it's not a finished product. It goes over to the Senate. I hope they can take the bill and perfect it. I hope they can make it better at least."

Harper was more direct, "I wish Congress would open their eyes to the wasteful government spending that is contained in this bill and that will drive the country further into debt. The American people know we cannot borrow and spend our way back to prosperity."