REPUBLICAN N.C. SENATOR BOB RUCHO – DEMOCRATS HAVE SPENT US TO DEATH. NOW IT IS TIME TO CLEAN UP THE MESS
Wednesday, February 9th, 2011CHARLOTTE OBSERVER
Two approaches to state budget shortfall
Excerpts from a speech Rucho, R-Mecklenburg, delivered on the N.C. Senate floor last week:
“Here we are in a situation where we’ve got double-digit unemployment. And the reality is that it’s probably close to 17 percent unemployment with people who are either unemployed or underemployed. And yet, last debate, where were you (Democrats)? You just said, ‘We’re going to keep spending! We’re just going to keep putting more money in the pile.’ Because of the fact that, God forbid, we stop spending and make sure that government just doesn’t run at the same level.
“I want you to take responsibility for the way you’ve all led this state in the past 10 to 12 years – because of the fact that you spent us to death. And now when we have to make some tough decisions you’re crying about $75 million, where in reality – how many billions? – $1.7 billion we put in incentives. …
“And you talk about the incentives and how great they were. Well, I’ll tell you what a good incentive is: It’s lowering your tax rates, cut your government spending to a normal level, and allowing businesses to function in the creative environment. And then you’re going to see the jobs. … The reality is, we’ve got to grow our existing businesses. …
“You know, one thing’s for sure, I’m not a great hunter, but you shoot where the ducks are. The ducks are our businesses, the small businesses that exist in this state at this time. And what this is, this is the first step to a pathway that the majority party in this Senate is going to show you and the rest of this state and the business environment which way we’re going so you really understand how to put an economy back together again. (more…)