State of Louisiana Archives: on Budget & Economy

Clay Higgins: Insidious lust for power and money drives deficit spending

I will join the fight for a balanced budget amendment. We also must dismantle most, if not all, of the so called "4th branch" of government, AKA the "Alphabet Branch" of government. These massive bureaucracies--like the IRS, the EPA, the DoE (the list goes on)--not only devour the People's treasure, they also operate outside of the parameters of Constitutional control.

I support greatly diminishing or eliminating the "4th Branch" of our federal government. I support the Constitutional process to establish a balanced budget amendment to our Constitution. I support a freeze of federal spending at contemporary levels coupled with a 1% decrease in spending across the board for 10 years.

Mike Johnson: Balance the budget; reduce licensing requirements

• Lead the Charge for a Balanced Budget: At more than $19 trillion, the national debt now exceeds our gross domestic product and is completely unsustainable. Congress should be required to spend and borrow following the same logical principles as our families and small businesses: balance our checkbooks. We can no longer saddle our children and grandchildren with a debt they can't possibly repay.
• Eliminate Unreasonable Licensing Requirements: In America, we shouldn't need to obtain a costly permission slip from the government to go to work and provide for our families. Congress should do all in its power to make it easier for people to enter the workforce, not more difficult.

John Neely Kennedy: Balanced budget amendment to restore fiscal responsibility

John Kennedy will restore fiscal responsibility in Washington. As Louisiana's State Treasurer, he stood up against powerful politicians and special interests to oppose government waste, fraud and abuse.

John will help end the wasteful practice of pork-barrel spending. Louisianans know the difference between government spending designed to help a politician--which is shameful and wasteful--and spending designed to help hurting people.

Deficit spending is affecting the economy as well. John supports a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. Just like American families, Congress must learn to live within its means.

John Bel Edwards: Blind allegiance to Grover Norquist cripples our economy

Rep. Edwards outlined key facts about the state of Louisiana's economy that paint a much different picture than the one offered up by the Governor during his remarks to the legislature. "Under the Jindal administration our unemployment rate is the nation's third highest, our job growth is slower than the rest of the nation's-- 1 percent compared to 2.4 percent nationally--and our bond rating moved to "negative" under Bobby Jindal saddling every public body in the state with higher borrowing costs," Edwards said.

Garret Graves: Free enterprise instead of assuring livable income

GRAVES: Strongly Agree

Q: It is the government's responsibility to be sure everyone has health care and a livable income?

GRAVES: Strongly Disagree

Ralph Abraham: Free enterprise instead of assuring livable income

ABRAHAM: Strongly Agree

Q: It is the government's responsibility to be sure everyone has health care and a livable income?

ABRAHAM: Disagree

Charles Melancon: Stimulus package will avoid God-awful recession like 1980s

Vitter criticized the measure as wasteful spending. Today, unemployment stands at 10 percent with about 80 percent of the stimulus money dedicated. "It immediately increased spending and debt," Vitter said. "At the same time, I didn't think it would lead to significant job creation."

Charles Melancon: TARP package will avoid depression from doing nothing

At every turn, Vitter tried to thwart the program. He introduced legislation aimed at blocking the use of $250 billion of the TARP money, which was approved in two installments. He called for any money returned to the federal government by the institutions taking part in the program to be dedicated to reducing the federal deficit instead of supporting further spending. Vitter also wanted an ending date for the program. "It played out to do what I feared, to expand the power and the role of the federal government," Vitter said.

Vitter's proposed measures did not pass. The government has received most of its money back.

David Vitter: Stimulus package won't lead to significant job creation

Vitter criticized the measure as wasteful spending. Today, unemployment stands at 10 percent with about 80 percent of the stimulus money dedicated. "It immediately increased spending and debt," Vitter said. "At the same time, I didn't think it would lead to significant job creation."

David Vitter: TARP package will expand power & role of federal government

At every turn, Vitter tried to thwart the program. He introduced legislation aimed at blocking the use of $250 billion of the TARP money, which was approved in two installments. He called for any money returned to the federal government by the institutions taking part in the program to be dedicated to reducing the federal deficit instead of supporting further spending. Vitter also wanted an ending date for the program. "It played out to do what I feared, to expand the power and the role of the federal government," Vitter said.

Vitter's proposed measures did not pass. The government has received most of its money back.

John Neely Kennedy: Be concerned about economy, but not scared

Landrieu, meanwhile, continued to push herself as a centrist senator who works across party lines and has brought home billions of dollars in aid to Louisiana during her 12 years in Congress, particularly since the blows of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. “Send me back to continue to fight for you, to deliver for you,” she said.

Mary Landrieu: Opposed $700 billion bailout; not enough taxpayer safeguards

Landrieu opposed the $700 billion financial market bailout backed by the White House and approved by Congress. But she also said that she supports government-guaranteed loans between banks and the use of federal tax dollars to buy stocks in banks to shore up the financial system: both plans pushed by the Bush administration, using the authority and money from the bailout bill.

When he was allowed to ask Landrieu a question, Kennedy asked why she now supports elements of the bailout bill: “What made you change your mind?”

“I didn’t change my mind,” she replied. “I did vote against the bailout package because I didn’t think there were enough safeguards for taxpayers.”