Politics
Obama to Senate: Americans deserve better
While Obama did not name the lawmaker, Utah GOP. Sen Mike Lee said Thursday that because of the president’s “blatant and egregious disregard both for proper constitutional procedures and the Senate’s unquestioned role in such appointments, I find myself duty-bound to resist the consideration and approval of additional nominations until the president takes steps to remedy the situation.”
Obama said he also wants Congress to pass legislation to ban insider trading by lawmakers and prohibit lawmakers from owning securities in companies that have business before their committees.
In addition, the president is seeking to prohibit people who “bundle” campaign contributions from other donors for members of Congress from lobbying Congress. Obama urged the public to contact their member of Congress and tell them “that it’s time to end the gridlock and start tackling the issues that really matter.”
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., delivering the GOP address, said Obama’s address to Congress lacked much discussion of the president’s achievements “because there isn’t much.”
“This president didn’t talk about his record for one simple reason,” Rubio said. “He doesn’t want you to know about it. But you do know about it, because you feel the failure of his leadership every single day of your life.”
Rubio accused the president of driving up the national debt, failing to reduce high unemployment across the country and offering divisive economic policies.
The Florida senator said there is a growing gap between the rich and the poor but the best way to solve the problem is by embracing the American free enterprise system. Rubio said he hopes 2012 “will be the beginning of our work toward a new and prosperous American century.”
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
