Below is an update on House Democrats’ $3.5 trillion budget resolution, border security, as well as the latest on COVID-19 in North Carolina.
House Democrats $3.5 Trillion Budget Resolution
This week, I voted against the House Democrats’ Budget Resolution that provides the framework for $3.5 trillion in new entitlement spending annually. The House Rules Committee structured a rule allowing the resolution to be deemed as passed with a simple majority vote on the House floor. This was done so that they could pass the resolution without having to vote on the resolution itself. This party line vote has put them one step closer to passing a budget reconciliation bill that would encompass the bulk of Biden’s tax and spend economic agenda without needing a single Republican vote. With the country already drowning in debt and inflation skyrocketing, it is unconscionable to recklessly erect new entitlement programs that the country cannot afford. Should the Democrats produce a Budget Reconciliation Bill that spends the maximum amount this Budget Resolution allows, it would add $17 trillion to the national debt over a ten year period. (That is the estimate by the Congressional Budget Office, which really means it would likely be more. They are never right with their budget projections.) This is a prime example of pure partisanship and Democrat leadership bowing to the demands of the far-left liberal wing of their party.
Some policies that Democrats want to include in the upcoming Budget Reconciliation Bill are:
- Forced Medicaid expansion on states
- Immediate and automatic citizenship for all illegal immigrants regardless of merit or criminal history
- Abolishment of “right to work” laws in the respective states which protect workers from forced unionization
- Carbon tariffs on imports that will further raise the cost of goods and services for American families
- Major tax hikes on job creators and working Americans
- A new “clean electricity mandate” to banish low-cost traditional energy by 2030, which will only add to the cost of goods and services
- Billions towards “clean” energy subsidies, tax credits, climate corps, “climate smart” agriculture, & electric vehicles
- Expansion of Medicare which jeopardizes the sustainability of the program for existing retirees
- Mass government entitlements for paid leave mandates, housing, child & elder care, free college, and federally controlled pre-K
Democrats’ reckless spending will cripple our economy. You can rest assured I will continue to fight this entitlement agenda that will do nothing except destroy our economy while making people more and more dependent on the government.
A Win for Border Security
In a huge win for border security, the Supreme Court reinstated the Trump-era “Remain in Mexico” policy after the Biden Administration had attempted to overturn it. The policy requires asylum seekers coming across the southern border to stay in Mexico as they wait for their day in court here in the United States to determine their eligibility. The policy was put in place in 2019 to end the catch-and-release practice in place. The “Remain in Mexico” policy was ended in June by the Biden Administration. The Administration was promptly sued by the states of Missouri and Texas. These states claimed that ending the policy was harmful to states on the border as well as the interior of our country by encouraging migrants to come to America.
The reinstatement of the “Remain in Mexico” policy is a victory in our nation’s fight against increased crime rates and human trafficking. By requiring asylum seekers to remain in Mexico while they waited for their hearings, it practically stopped the flow of illegal immigration and ensured that our asylum laws were being followed. Hopefully, this policy will now be reinstated promptly but it will require Mexico’s cooperation to make it work. (You may recall that President Trump used the threat of tariffs to persuade Mexico to work with the U.S. to implement this.)
North Carolina COVID-19 Update
Vaccines continue to be administered across North Carolina as the more infectious COVID-19 Delta variant spreads across the state and country. There were 8,105 new COVID-19 cases reported statewide on Friday and 3,651 individuals are currently hospitalized due to the virus. More than 10 million doses of the vaccine have been administered in North Carolina as of Friday, August 27. Currently, 49% of North Carolina’s population has been fully vaccinated. For more statistics on vaccine distribution, visit the NC Department of Health and Human Services’ Dashboard.
Additionally, the FDA granted full approval to Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine this week. I do not support mandates for a variety of reasons, but I do think it is prudent to take a long look at the stats from our local hospitals.
Ninety percent plus of those hospitalized are unvaccinated. Almost 100 percent in the ICUs are unvaccinated and, of course, those who succumb to this virus typically are from the ICUs. Vaccination does not always prevent you from contracting the virus just like the flu vaccine does not always prevent you from getting the flu, but a look at the hospital stats strongly suggests that your chances of hospitalization and death are greatly reduced if you’ve had the vaccine. Talk to your doctor about all your concerns with it, look at all the data, and make the right decision for you.
