Congressman Harold Ford, Jr. (D-TN) today issued a challenge to all his opponents in the 2006 Tennessee U.S. Senate race to take a stand and declare publicly how they would vote on the federal budget bill before Congress.
"I support a constitutional amendment to balance the budget. I believe in shared sacrifice and fiscal responsibility. I have always taken the position that it is immoral for our government to live beyond its means and pass on billions of dollars of debt that our children and grandchildren will be forced to pay. Tennesseans expect their Senators to be good fiscal stewards of the tax money they send to Washington, and I strongly believe that these values should be upheld. To lead is to choose and it is time for my opponents to tell the voters of Tennessee how they would vote on the federal budget bill that is presently before Congress," Ford stated.
"I will vote no because a failure of leadership and blind partisanship have produced a deficit reduction bill that does nothing to reduce the deficit and, in fact, adds billions to the national debt. Furthermore, I will vote no because the sacrifices for fiscal responsibility, war and natural disasters should be shared. The budget bill fails this test, plain and simple: it makes college loans more expensive, removes children from the food stamp program, cuts health care for middle class Tennessee families, slashes funding to go after dead beat dads and makes it harder for Tennesseans to pay their home heating bills this winter, while providing a $70 billion tax cut for millionaires. It’s morally wrong. Voters are hungering for competence, bi-partisan problem solving and the truth from their leaders. This budget and tax package achieves none of these goals and is yet another example of why we need change and reform in Washington."
Ford is referring to upcoming budget and tax reconciliation bills soon to be voted on by the House of Representatives. Under the proposed plan:
- Medicaid would be cut by $11.9 billion nationally and $317 million in Tennessee.
- A $14.3 billion reduction in student loan funds would impact 128,410 Tennessee college students.
- A $4.9 billion cut in child support enforcement would result in $75 million less for the state of Tennessee to go after dead beat dads.
- $844 million would be cut from the food stamp program.
- President Bush refused to add $2 billion to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program to help more than 100,000 Tennessee families – especially East Tennessee families - pay their home heating bills this winter.
Instead, Ford is calling for a bipartisan summit to balance the budget to include congressional leaders and White House officials.
Ford said the people of Tennessee have a right to know where they all stand before the congress votes and before they start telling voters what they will do in the future.
“I challenge all of my Republican opponents to take a clear stand and tell voters how they would vote this bill," Ford said .
More: Read Congressman Ford's record of fiscal responsibility here! (1, 2, 3, 4)
Comments: I look forward to seeing if Congressman Ford's opponents in this race to make a public stand on this issue.
Thus far in the race, his opponents have shown that they are more interested in attacking and misleading voters rather than talking about the real issues at hand (1, 2, 3, 4, 5).
That is a stark contrast to Congressman Ford, who is a champion of the issues.
I await their response. (However, honestly, I do not expect one)
