Toomey got sworn in last week for his second term as a U.S. senator, and it appears from his recent op-ed, that he's still drinking from the obstructionist conservative kool aid fountain. So, it looks like we can expect the same BS from him and his colleagues for this coming term, except he won't have Obama to blame for not getting anything accomplished.

Same old talking points with no definitive plan or process for improvement . . . Just talk.


Sen. Pat Toomey: Working to make U.S. more secure and more prosperous


Security and prosperity, these are the two most important responsibilities of the federal government.

Increased violence and terrorism in recent years have demonstrated the need for enhanced security. From tougher sanctions against the Iranians to stop them from obtaining a nuclear bomb; to stopping dangerous sanctuary city policies across the country; to better protecting kids in classrooms from predators; and to keeping firearms away from criminals and the dangerously mentally ill, we must take stronger action to improve our security. I've been at the forefront fighting for each of these priorities during my first term in the Senate and will continue to in my second.

I also intend to work hard to create an environment of greater economic opportunity and security.

We've been living through the worst economic recovery in 60 years. Wages have stagnated, our workforce participation rate is at a record low and the income gap has grown.

It's not for lack of meddling on behalf of the federal government.

The Federal Reserve has driven interest rates to zero and bought several trillion dollars' worth of bonds. The federal government launched a massive spending binge that caused huge deficits and doubled our nation's debt. The Obama administration disastrously took over the health care industry and has inflicted countless tax increases and stifling regulations on virtually every segment of our economy.

Some believe that the lack of economic growth is the new normal. This is a cop-out. There is nothing normal about meager growth; it is the inevitable consequence of failed policy. We can have a strong recovery that generates greater opportunity and a higher standard of living for all Pennsylvanians but we must change the policies coming out of Washington to get there. Specifically, we can reform our overly complicated and burdensome tax code and roll back many of the heavy-handed regulations imposed since 2008.

Tax reform is an area where we can start. The United States has the highest business tax rate in the developed world and many giveaways to politically favored industries and companies. These features put our country at a disadvantage economically and hurt American companies and workers competing on the global stage. By reducing the business tax rates and eliminating the corporate welfare, we will be in a much better position to entice businesses to locate and start up here. The result will be greater economic growth, substantial job growth and increased wages. It's equally important that we simplify and lower tax rates applied in the individual tax code. These changes will result in more work, savings and investment, which together raise our standard of living.

On the regulatory front, we have the opportunity to roll back many of the job-killing regulations that have devastated our economy over the past eight years. We can start with Dodd-Frank, an ill-conceived response to the financial crisis which has made credit less available and more expensive for consumers and small businesses. It has also virtually stopped the creation of new community banks and even codified "too big to fail," which puts taxpayers on the hook for bailing out failing financial institutions.

We must also begin the process of repealing Obamacare. The heart of Obamacare — the individual health care market — is failing. Insurers are abandoning the market, premiums are skyrocketing, and people have lost the coverage they were promised they could keep. I am looking forward to moving quickly toward a system that gives Americans more affordable choices in coverage and takes Washington bureaucrats out of the doctor's office.

Congress must tackle bureaucratic overreach. Consider the eight-year campaign the Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies have waged to kill Pennsylvania's coal industry through crushing regulations that lack legislative authority. Thousands have lost their jobs, mines have closed, and power plants have been shuttered. Regulators should be required to comply with the law and any major, new regulation should be subject to congressional approval before going into effect.

It is an honor to serve the people of Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate. I appreciate the trust put in me to fight for you. With the right steps, I am confident that our country can be more secure and have a growing economy that works for everyone, not just a select few. I'm eager to get back to work.


You go Pat . . . Call me or answer my e-mails when you finally get something done.