It’s been said that Washington, D.C., is 10 square miles surrounded by reality. Too often, policymakers in our nation’s capital get caught up in the rhetoric and lose sight of the fact that ours is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. And right now, what the people want is jobs. Americans are dealing with tough times. Unemployment remains about 9 percent and millions are ... Read more »
During a visit to Kenmore Middle School on March 14th, President Obama declared Congress should complete its efforts to overhaul 'No Child Left Behind' before the next school year begins in August. Rep. John Kline (R-MN), chairman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, issued the following statement: “The president's remarks affirm the importance of fixing the nation’s broken educa... Read more »
The following op-ed was published online at USA Today on January 20, 2011. Second, this effort allows us to take steps to truly deal with cost. Whatever else may be said of it, the new law has clearly failed to address the ever-rising cost of care and coverage. In many cases, the law is actually responsible, at least in part, for the increases. Many employers are facing higher costs, individuals a... Read more »
The following op-ed was published online in The Washington Examiner. At first glance, it may be difficult to understand the pairing of education and workplace issues in a single congressional committee. What does a third grade classroom have in common with a construction site? How do school lunches relate to small businesses? As unlikely a duo as these issues may seem, they are actually quite clos... Read more »
The following op-ed was published in The Hill on September 29, 2010. According to the so-called experts, the Great Recession that began during the winter of 2007 ended in June of 2009. This should be welcome news, but many Americans find it hard to believe. More than 14.8 million workers are still unemployed, and 27 states recently reported an increase in unemployment. Earlier this month, the Depa... Read more »
The following op-ed was published online at Red State on August 5, 2010 In June of 2009, the unemployment rate surged to 9.5 percent for the first time in almost 26 years. Despite some ups and downs, today the unemployment rate continues to hover near 10 percent and 14.6 million Americans are unemployed and searching for work. I see the evidence of this every time I travel back home to Minnesota:... Read more »
The following op-ed was published online at Big Government on June 16, 2010 "Health overhaul to force changes in employer plans.” “Draft health rules set hurdles.” “Employer health care costs to jump 9% in 2011.” With headlines like these splashed across the nation’s newspapers, it’s no wonder the American public remains steadfastly opposed to the government takeover of health care signed into la... Read more »
The following op-ed was published online at the Washington Examiner on May 17, 2010 Across the country, Americans continue to express their frustration with business-as-usual in Washington where special interests secure backroom deals that run contrary to the national interest. Voters expect their elected leaders to fight for a level playing field that enables all Americans to pursue economic opp... Read more »
The following op-ed was published online at Red State on April 28, 2010. With a looming nomination to the Supreme Court dominating the headlines, much has been written about the dangers of activist judges – those jurists who do not feel bound by a strict reading of the Constitution, but instead are compelled to reshape the letter of the law to fit their desired outcomes. It turns out activist judg... Read more »
The following op-ed was published online at AOL News on March 17, 2010. Imagine a bill that dramatically increases the power of the federal government in Americans' lives. It expands the federal bureaucracy to administer a vital service. Democrats argue it will save money over time because the federal government is more efficient than the private sector -- yet the American people are suspicious of... Read more »
