Rep Jon Runyan Talks to Constituents at WOBM

From the President's Jobs Act to the GOP Presidential hopefuls 3rd District Republican Congressman Jon Runyan comes to the Bob Levy Broadcast Center in Bayville, NJ to give his take on what's been happening on Capitol Hill.

During WOBM's call-in radio program 'Ask The Congressman', Runyan announced that Sunday marked a rather dark anniversary for Federal Lawmakers. He says it was the 900th day the U.S. Senate has not passed a Federal Budget. "That is a heck of a long time to try to operate the country without having any parameters on it and quite frankly why we're in the fiscal mess we're in." Runyan expressed frustration over getting bills passed in the House and then watching them languish in the Senate.

There were a number of callers who asked about the "Fair Tax Plan" that's been made increasingly popular by GOP Candidate Herman Cain with his 9-9-9 plan. The plan calls for abolishing the Federal Tax Code and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and replacing it with a broad Federal consumption tax. Runyan says our Congressional Budget Office (CBO) rules won't allow such a plan presently. However, Runyan says he's meeting with Fair Tax advocates in his district this week to learn more about the plan and consider their request that he become a co-sponsor of the legislation.

Tackling the deficit and getting control of government spending remains a priority for Runyan however, he continues to reject calls to eliminate so-called "Bush Era" tax cuts to do so. Runyan, is once again calling for support of Congressman Paul Ryan's plan which cuts government spending by going after entitlement programs like Medicare and Medicaid.

Runyan also rejects calls to reduce the Defense budget again, saying it would harm our military. "We've cut the Department of Defense by about $465-billion over the next ten years. When you look at that curve mapped out on a graph, in two years of these cuts we will be below Clinton-level spending era's."

Runyan also explained why Republicans have rejected the President's Jobs Package. He says the package mirrors stimulus spending. "Spending other people's money to create jobs is not the way. Getting access to capital, getting people to go out and to start these small businesses, small businesses are the one's that are going to create the vast majority of jobs in this country."

Runyan wasn't moved by Governor Christie's endorsement of Mitt Romney to make an endorsement for President last night. "Moving forward trying to make a call on who I would endorse? I'm still thinking about it. I mean there's aspects of all of them I like."

Listen to "Ask the Congressman" again at www.wobm.com, www.wobmam.com, www.statehousesteps.com