Warning that Medicare will end if something is not done to stop its spiral, 4th District Congressman Scott DesJarlais told members of the Republican Party that stalemate is hurting the entire country in Washington D.C.
“The Senate will not cooperate on anything,” said the freshman U.S. Representative during the annual Lincoln Day Dinner held Monday at Boskey’s Grill by the Warren County Republican Party. “It’s very frustrating.”
DesJarlais said there has to be a consensus in Washington so things can get done, starting with ending runaway spending.
“Entitlement programs have run amuck,” DesJarlais said. “A lot of people have forgotten they need to work for a living.”
DesJarlais believes it is government itself which is part of the problem when it comes to economic recovery.
“Government is standing in the way of growth,” DesJarlais said, noting it is government’s reluctance to address the Medicare crisis that could lead to its ending inside of a decade.
“Medicare will end if we don’t do something,” DesJarlais said. “There’s an ultimate failure in leadership right now.”
Following DesJarlais’ address, two Republican candidates hoping to challenge incumbent state Rep. Charles Curtiss took the stage, asking for the nomination by the GOP.
“Charles has been in that office for 18 years,” said candidate Derrick Waggoner. “That’s a long time to be in any job. It’s time for old Charles to go. It’s time for fresh ideas.”
Waggoner pointed out the GOP is just two seats short of having a super majority in the House, which would help in passing Republican initiatives.
His opponent in the 43rd District Republican primary, Robert Dunham, said Curtiss lives just down the road from him and he likes him as a person.
“He is a great person, but when he goes to Nashville he is just another liberal Democrat,” Dunham said of the incumbent. “Democrats want to tax everything you do and that makes everything worse.”