Rep. Fleischmann Responds To President Obama’s State Of The Union Address

WASHINGTON− Tonight, after President Obama delivered the State of the Union address, Rep. Fleischmann released the following video and statement.

To watch the video, click here.

Text of Rep. Chuck Fleischmann’s Remarks:

Tonight, the President addressed the nation in the State of the Union to deliver his vision for the upcoming year. Unfortunately, rather than focusing on areas where the President and Congress can work together to move the country forward, he presented a set of ideas he knows will have no chance in the new Congress. His proposals are burdensome, unproductive, and most importantly, costly. President Obama’s proposed tax hikes will only hurt our economy and the American people. Rather than proposing revenue neutral tax reform, the President decided to focus on a redistributive tax increase. We need a fairer, flatter, simpler tax code that keeps money in the hands of the middle class and empowers job creators to grow and strengthen our economy.

Tonight, the President again detailed his proposal for free community college. While his imitation of Tennessee’s successful Tennessee Promise is flattering, he misses a key element - our state created this program without raising taxes. The President’s program is paid for by a massive tax increase on hardworking Americans, at a time when the American people cannot afford it. I hope the President will learn that our education system should not be hindered by national bureaucracies and expensive federal decisions.

President Obama’s visions are costly and ineffective, and I, therefore, earnestly ask the President to refocus his proposals in order to prioritize the American people and our economy. The President has the opportunity to work with the new Congress to create good-paying jobs and build a healthy, thriving economy. Over the next two years, I will work to empower the American people, and I hope President Obama will join me in this fight to strengthen our nation.