Tom McClintock for Congress

Floor Speech given in the House Chamber on June 15, 2010.

M. Speaker: The proponents tell us that this bill will increase lending to small businesses.  To do so they are creating a $30 billion slush fund to make loans to smaller banks, therefore encouraging smaller banks to make loans to small businesses.  Or so they say.

 It is a splendid example of what I like to call McClintock’s Second Law of Political Physics: the more we invest in our mistakes, the less willing we are to correct them.

Rep. Tom McClintock gave this speech in response to President Calderon's lecture to Congress. Given in the House Chamber, Washington, D.C.  May 20, 2010. 

M. Speaker:

I rise to take strong exception to the speech of the President of Mexico while in this chamber today. 

The Mexican government has made it very clear for many years that it holds American sovereignty in contempt and President Calderon’s behavior as a guest of the Congress confirms and underscores this attitude.

On the Propositions:

Prop. 13.  Seismic Retrofits. YES:  Earthquake proofing your house shouldn’t trigger a tax increase until you’re ready to sell.  Any questions?

Prop. 14. Distorted Primary. NO: This was the result of the corrupt deal for the tax increase engineered by Abel Maldonado that included this measure to by-pass party primaries in a manner Maldonado believed would enhance his future election prospects.  Instead of voters of each party putting their best candidate forward, this jerry-rigged system is designed to disguise the difference between the parties and force those pesky third parties off the general election ballot entirely. 

Prop. 15. Taxpayer Funded Elections.  NO: The real purpose of this measure is to allow the legislature to tap taxpayers to finance political campaigns.  Jefferson said it best: “To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.”

House Chamber, Washington, D.C.  April 27, 2010. 

M. Speaker:

During the recent health debate, the Speaker ominously said, “We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it.”

They passed it.  And now we’re finding out what’s in it.

They told us it would keep costs down.  Now they admit health costs will soar by $311 billion, increasing to 21 percent of GDP by 2019.

They told us if you like your plan, you can keep it.  Now they admit seniors on Medicare advantage could lose their plans.  Companies that offer health plans to their employees and retirees are considering dropping them.