Mr. Kelly goes to Washington

Mr. Kelly goes to Washington
posted at 11:20 am on June 24, 2011 by Jazz Shaw


When we sent the new class of freshman off to Washington after the 2010 cycle, we knew – or at least hoped – there were going to be some “Mr. Smith goes to Washington” moments where real people stepped up to challenge the beltway status quo. While it’s hardly the first, one of the better ones took place this week when Congressman Mike Kelly (R-PA) reminded us all that the budget talks are still underway he’s not really enjoying the process. Click here to watch video.

I’m trying to understand the criticism of Mr. Ryan’s budget from the side that didn’t even have the courage to pass a budget. To sit there now and rail about Mr. Ryan’s budget, about how it’s so ineffective and how it doesn’t work is, to me, the greatest, most hypocritical statement I’ve heard since coming here. And I’ve got to tell you something… I’m not speaking as a Republican here, I’m speaking as an American. You want to know why the public opinion of Congress is so low? It’s because we don’t listen.

If you want to start the reelection campaign and the strategy for 2012 now, that’s fine. But how about we just fix what’s broken? Instead of standing here pointing fingers at each other, let’s quit spending money we don’t have, let’s not keep borrowing money and using our kids and our grandkids as note signers.

Let’s stop railing against the really wealthy, because I’ve got to tell you something. As a guy who has had to pay his own way his whole life I am greatly offended by the idea that somehow somebody in Washington knows how to spend my money better than I do. That somebody in Washington knows how to regulate me to the point where I can’t even borrow money any more. You want to talk about people who are afraid? The small banks. They’re scared to death to do anything. Why? Because their government has such onerous regulations on them anymore that they don’t know about the rules and the regulations that have been put through or haven’t even been written.

So when you want to sit back and talk about these wealthy, evil people… you want them to spend money? Make their future certain.

Watch the video. It’s one of the best you’ll see this week, I assure you.