SOTU and Riposte

The entire SOTU has been released, and here it is.

And here is Rep. Paul Ryan’s GOP response.  Ryan is the man on spending and getting this country out of the hole we’ve spent ourselves into.  A few highlights.

FISCAL CHALLENGE AHEAD: “Our nation is approaching a tipping point.  We are at a moment, where if government’s growth is left unchecked and unchallenged, America’s best century will be considered our past century. This is a future in which we will transform our social safety net into a hammock, which lulls able-bodied people into lives of complacency and dependency.  Depending on bureaucracy to foster innovation, competitiveness, and wise consumer choices has never worked – and it won’t work now.  We need to chart a new course.”

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“STIMULUS”: “The facts are clear: Since taking office, President Obama has signed into law spending increases of nearly 25% for domestic government agencies – an 84% increase when you include the failed stimulus.  All of this new government spending was sold as ‘investment.’  Yet after two years, the unemployment rate remains above 9% and government has added over $3 trillion to our debt.”

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HEALTH CARE: “What we already know about the President’s health care law is this: Costs are going up, premiums are rising, and millions of people will lose the coverage they currently have.  Job creation is being stifled by all of its taxes, penalties, mandates and fees.  Businesses and unions from around the country are asking the Obama Administration for waivers from the mandates.  Washington should not be in the business of picking winners and losers.  The President mentioned the need for regulatory reform to ease the burden on American businesses. We agree – and we think his health care law would be a great place to start. Last week, House Republicans voted for a full repeal of this law, as we pledged to do, and we will work to replace it with fiscally responsible, patient-centered reforms that actually reduce costs and expand coverage.”