Lou on the Issues

Spending

There is no way to sugarcoat it – For years, Congress and the President have spent our country into servitude, piling up a debt we may never be able to repay.

As the nation and world slipped into recession and tax revenue leveled off, Congressional Democrats and the President didn’t stop spending. They wanted to freeze spending levels. That may sound like a good plan, except for the fact that we have hit record spending levels. So, by their own admission, they want to lock in record spending for another 5 years. That will drive us further and further into debt and on to the backs of our children and grandchildren.

To pay for it, foreign countries buy up treasury securities. They’re investing in our federal overspending. As of November 2009, China has invested almost $800 billion in American treasury securities – almost the exact same amount as the so-called stimulus bill Congress passed earlier in the year. All told, foreign countries own more than $3.5 trillion of our debt, and China owns 29% of that debt.

Our financial weakness is impacting our foreign policy. How can we negotiate with China, for instance, regarding Taiwan or Tibet when China continues to finance our debt? Now, if we anger the Chinese government and China stops buying U.S. treasury securities, we risk our financial recovery. There may come a day when the bedrock principles of the United States may have to take a back seat to the financial realities of our foreign debt.

Sadly, there are still many officials in Washington that just don’t get it. They’re addicted to spending. They’re hooked on it.

Fortunately, since last year, there has been a change, not only in the people elected, but in the attitude as well. Whereas in years past, members of Congress argued about how much to increase spending, this year the debate was centered on how much should be cut. And for the first time since World War II, the spending levels coming out of Washington has decreased.

But, we still have a long way to go. Even though we cut nearly $40 billion this year, we’re still more than $14 trillion in debt, and we’re struggling just to pay the interest on that debt. We need to make sure people are sent to Washington with the courage to say no – no to overpriced and ineffective boondoggles, no to politician’s pet projects, and no to the expensive perks.

It’s not too late to take control of our future. Like you, the federal government must tighten its belt and live within its means.

Seniors

For too long, Washington spent your Social Security benefits on their pet projects without worrying about seniors and their financial future. Congress voted to raid Social Security 16 times, and took more than $4 trillion from Social Security to pay for excessive spending.

We need real leadership in Washington. Leaders with the courage to speak out, honestly and clearly – whether Democrat or Republican. Leaders who will fight to protect Social Security.

I strongly believe that benefits should be protected, the retirement age should not be raised, and taxes should not be increased on current enrollees because doing any of those things would alter the terms of the agreement between our nation and seniors. I’m ready to stand up and fight to protect your Social Security in Congress.

• I oppose any attempts to cut Social Security benefits.
• I oppose any attempt to raise the retirement age.
• I oppose any attempt to privatize Social Security. Anyone who says I do is lying. I want to make it absolutely clear: I am against privatizing Social Security.
• I’m against personal Social Security savings accounts.

Click here to learn more about Lou's plan for seniors.

National Security

Those who want to destroy our way of life are testing us daily. The foreign threats stacked against the United States seem more dangerous than they have been in a decade.

All the X-rays, liquid screening, and pat-downs at airports won’t do a thing to discourage the truly motivated.

First, our intelligence agencies need to work together. The government report on the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks showed gaping holes in the coordination between our national, foreign, and military intelligence agencies. Billions of taxpayer dollars have been spent to increase inter-agency cooperation but massive systemic flaws still exist. It’s time we truly tear down the walls between our intelligence agencies so they start sharing vital information to protect our citizens and our guests.

But we need to go beyond that to secure our airports and our airlines. We need employ the psychological profiling that has been so successful in other parts of the world. We need to deny airspace access to foreign carriers who don’t meet our security standards. We need to expand our air marshal network.

In short, the government must make sure that those who would do us harm don’t get on airplanes, whether they board one in the United States or abroad.

Of course, national security must go beyond airports. We must also be vigilant in protecting our ports, our borders, our roads and bridges, our electricity generating stations and our oil refineries, our pipelines and power lines, our passenger and cargo trains, and other potential targets.

Our national security apparatus and intelligence community needs to be right all the time, but a terrorist or terrorist group only has to be right once in order to do significant damage to the country and our economy.

Sharing intelligence is an excellent first step, but more must be done to protect the homeland. And any terrorist or would-be terrorist caught by U.S. authorities should be treated as enemy combatants. We’re still at war, and we need to prosecute the war in a way that protects our citizens and our infrastructure.

Health Care

The United States has the greatest doctors and hospitals in the world. Just look at the number of people who come from around the world to receive medical treatment here. In fact, in February, a high-ranking official from Canada – where they have a national health care system – came to the United States for heart surgery. That should give any proponent of nationalized health care a reason to take a second look at the flaws of a national system.

But our health care system is broken. Runaway cost increases, the medical malpractice insurance crisis, and the failure of politicians in Washington to enact meaningful health care reform have driven insurance premiums and the cost of prescription drugs through the roof.

Everyone should have access to affordable, quality health care.

But one thing for sure – The idea of government run health care scares me to death. Nationalized health care is not the answer. We don’t need to give the government control over one-sixth of our economy, and putting life-affecting health decisions in the hands of bureaucrats is not the answer. Cutting half a billion dollars in funding for Medicare to pay for a national health care program is a terrible mistake that would hurt senior citizens who have earned those benefits. And I will never stand for the rationing of health care services to anyone.

It's time for our government to take a leadership role in helping private-practice doctors and hospitals develop wellness programs before patients get sick. Create incentives for small businesses to offer health care to all of their employees. Allow insurance companies to sell health care policies across state lines because increasing competition will help contain costs. Make sure big companies don't exclude employees whose positions have been created at just below full-time hours from heath benefits offered to full time employees.

The United States does have the best health care system on the planet, but it has flaws. Turning it over to the government will only make it worse.

Right to Life

Simply stated, I am Pro-Life. I believe that innocent life should be protected at every stage of development. I support the restoration of legal protection for innocent human life. I will oppose the efforts of some to increase or expand the protection or establishment of legal euthanasia, abortion, and human cloning. As Congress begins to tackle the issues of Medicare and health care reform, I will never support a program that results in rationing of life-saving procedures to those covered under those programs.

Second Amendment

As a gun owner, recreational shooter, and an NRA member, I understand the meaning and significance of the Second Amendment. I believe in an individual right to keep, own, and use firearms.

This is incredibly important issue to me. It is my belief that our forefathers were very clear in their intentions when they framed the Second Amendment. They declared that each individual has a constitutionally protected absolute right to firearms, which is obviously extended to ammunition and firearm accessories.

Gun control advocates believe that the best way to stop crime is to limit your rights. I could not disagree more.

As your Congressman, I will fight to protect the rights of law-abiding citizens on every front. I will always vote to protect and support your right to own and use firearms, including the protection of gun shows, hunting, and other conservation efforts; reciprocity for concealed-carry permit holders; range protection; and the ability to defend yourself, your family, and your property.

I will always be vigilant in the defense of the Second Amendment.

“As a gun owner and as an American I believe today is a great day for the Second Amendment and a great for all of America. This was the proper decision.”

-- Statement from Mayor Lou Barletta on the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning the Washington, D.C., gun ban. June 26, 2008

Click here to read more about Lou's support for the Second Amendment or download a one pager here.

Illegal Immigration

Ours is a great and generous nation. No one can match the help America has brought to countries around the world. And no one can match America's willingness to embrace people from all over the world who want to join our great democratic society.

But where do we draw the line? What's reasonable when illegal activity threatens our national security or overwhelms our small cities and towns?

Speaking from years of experience, I can say that illegal immigration and the problems caused by it hurt small cities and towns. Illegal aliens use services provided by communities but they do not pay their fair share in taxes.

We need to stop the flow of illegal aliens across our borders and through our airports and seaports.

We need to crack down on fraudulent documents and the criminals who make them.

I think it's reasonable that people show proof of citizenship before getting a driver's license. I think employers should be penalized for hiring illegal aliens. I think that if a person is in this country illegally and further breaks our laws, after that person serves his or her time here, he or she should be sent back to his or her own country.

Americans are reasonable people looking for reasonable guidelines to protect our country and communities.

As your congressman, I will lead the charge to take reasonable steps to secure our borders, secure our documents, and secure jobs for legal American citizens.

Veterans

From the minutemen at Lexington and Concord in 1775 through the battles raging today in Afghanistan, men and women have worn the uniforms of this nation and stood up against tyranny, against oppression, and for liberty.

This is a legacy our veterans can be proud of. Veterans served our great nation with dignity and pride. For some that service was in the jungles of Southeast Asia, the mountains of Tora Bora, the shifting sands of Iraq and Kuwait, the tranquil fields of modern Europe, the cold desolation of Korea, or the beaches of Normandy or Guadalcanal.

Others served here at home, on American soil.

No matter where they put their boots at night, this nation owes all veterans a debt of gratitude. We owe our veterans the best benefits we can provide.

Click here for more information on Lou's plan for veterans or download Lou's plan here.

Foreign Policy

In 2004, I had the privilege of being asked to represent the United States of America on the United Nations Advisory Committee of Local Authorities (UNACLA).   In this capacity, I represented all of our nation’s local authorities at the United Nations. It was an incredible honor and a heavy responsibility.

That position has allowed me to meet with leaders from all over the globe and diverse backgrounds.

Click here for more information on Lou's approach to foreign policy.