Columns

Thomas Jefferson once opined, “History convinces me that most bad government has grown out of too much government.” Never has this sentiment proven to be more true than today. Certainly, I could point to numerous examples of the ill effects of bureaucratic largesse. One such example gaining attention in Congress is a provision of President Obama’s unpopular health care law called the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports, or CLASS Act.

Our military is the finest fighting force for freedom and security the world has ever known and every last one of them is a volunteer. When the call to arms was sounded, it was they who stepped forward and said, “Send me.” Nebraska is home to more than 150,000 veterans. These heroes have put everything at risk to defend our freedoms. Our troops risk life and limb and spend great lengths of time away from their families so the rest of us do not have to. In return for their service and sacrifice, we made a promise to take care of them and their families when they come home.

As we close the book on 2011, there is no question political brinksmanship prevented opportunities for America to move forward. There were, however, consequential, bipartisan accomplishments which will benefit the country. One area where Republicans and Democrats, Congress and the White House were all able to come together was advancing an aggressive trade agenda.

With the holidays upon us, the season brings with it an opportunity for us to pause and reflect on the past year. Looking back over the course of the last twelve months, the pursuit of change has shaped events both here at home and across the globe. For the first time, the debate in Washington has shifted from “how much do we spend” to “how much do we cut.” We have ended our combat mission in Iraq and we have watched important world events unfold such as the Arab Spring. All of these changes have significance for our country as we head into the new year.

As families and loved ones gather across the Third District over the coming days to celebrate Christmas, I want to extend my season’s greetings to you and your family. During this time of year, our thoughts and prayers go out to the men and women, and certainly their families, who sacrifice so much to defend our freedoms.

The November jobs report, which showed nearly twice as many Americans dropped out of the labor force than found work, underscored the deep and systemic problems still affecting the economy. One of those areas is our outdated tax code. Over the years, it has grown too complicated and cumbersome, and it is fundamentally unfair. There are many drivers of our sluggish economy, but we never will recover the jobs lost during the recession unless we undertake comprehensive tax reform.

With our nation in the midst of the worst jobs crisis since the Great Depression, you would think policymakers would be focused on reducing barriers to job creation. Not so. High unemployment has many drivers, but one of the most obvious culprits is over-regulation.

Unnecessary regulations and their unintended consequences are self-inflicted wounds on our economy. They drive up the cost of doing business, leaving employers with fewer resources to hire and invest. Instead of making job creation easier and cheaper, Washington has been making it harder and more expensive.