© 2024
Virginia's Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

State Lawmakers Respond to President Obama's Economic Plan

npr.org

There was a lot in President Obama’s State of the Union address that would impact the commonwealth, but he's already meeting resistance from Virginia Republicans. 

There were two starkly contrasting visions of government on display at the Capitol last evening. The president wants the government to help spur job creation, while Republicans say the government ought to get out of the way.

Virginia Republican Congressman Rob Wittman says the president’s call to expand the role of government in the economy is misguided.

“I don’t believe that is the way to solve this. I believe that in many situations the best thing for us to do here in Washington is to get out of the way of small businesses, and people that are working hard, to try to grow, and make this economy go. That I think is fundamental to what we can do.”

Democrats disagree. They say the recovery is still fragile and Americans need as much assistance as possible. Northern Virginia Democrat Gerry Connolly says Republican complaints about raising the minimum wage shows they don’t understand how much people need help from the government.

“It always destroys jobs. It always retards economic growth. And if you look at the record that is simply not the case.”

It’s an election year and if reaction to the State of the Union address is any indicator this year promises to be heavy on politics and light on bipartisan legislation.