GOP Congressman Adam Kinzinger (IL-16):
“Tonight, the President talked about working across the aisle to find common ground, but words alone don’t bring about results. With families across the country struggling to make ends meet, the American people need tonight to be about more than just a speech; they need a real commitment to results, to getting people back to work, to finding bipartisan reforms to bring healthcare costs down, and to making government work for the people again. If the President wants to work with Republicans, we are willing to roll up our sleeves and have the tough conversations it will take to find common ground.”
GOP Congressman Randy Hultgren (IL-14):
“Tonight, President Obama demonstrated once again he is a product of Illinois’ governing mindset, one which has driven our state to rack up billions in unpaid bills and long-term debt. If Americans want to know the President’s true vision for America, one that relies on government—not individual action—to fix our country’s ills, look no further than Illinois’ 8.7 percent jobless rate. Businesses are leaving in droves for neighboring states.
More responses below the fold:
“I agree with President Obama that we need to get Americans back to work. Unfortunately, the President shares the mentality in Illinois and Washington to spend money we don’t have and force burdensome regulations on the businesses providing jobs to middle class families. He wants to go around Congress to force his agenda on Americans. I hope the President will work with Congress—not against us—to help Americans find opportunities that will carry them out of the anxiety this stagnant economy has forced them in, and into confident self-sufficiency.”
GOP Congressman Peter Roskam (IL-06):
“Tonight the president spoke of how the American ideal of opportunity for all has suffered serious blows in recent years. He’s right: in the last five years, our labor participation rate is down to historic lows, household income is down, upward mobility has stalled and the poverty rate is far too high. Across the board the data shows that people are worse off now than when President Obama took office. Yet the president continues to cling to policy prescriptions that are the very reason so many Americans are struggling. He defends a healthcare law that is making insurance too expensive for too many. He promised tonight to dramatically increase the number and scope of burdensome government rules that increase the cost of doing business, suppress job creation and drive up energy costs for families.
“The American people do want action—but not more of the same. Instead of dividing up an increasingly shrinking slice of the pie, let’s join together in growing the whole economy for the benefit of all Americans. We can start immediately by getting big, ineffective government out of the way so businesses can grow and hire. We can build the foundations of a 21st century economy with a trade and tax agenda that lets American products and entrepreneurs compete on a global scale. The path is clear, the common ground is there, I urge the president to seize it.”
From GOP candidate for 11th Congressional District Darlene Senger:
“Despite President Obama’s promises and false assurances, ObamaCare continues to hurt struggling families across our state by cutting health care services, increasing costs, and cancelling health care plans. What we need to hear, right now, from both President Obama and Congressman Foster is how they plan fix ObamaCare so that Illinois families can have access to quality and affordable health care. From higher taxes and spending to cancelled health care plans, middle-class families continue to struggle to make ends meet due to Congressman Foster and President Obama’s failed agenda. Unfortunately, little was said tonight about this catastrophic problem and even less is being done to find a solution.”
GOP candidate for U.S. Senate Doug Truax:
President Obama, Dick Durbin and their liberal allies in Congress are offering more failed ideas and political slogans to the American people instead of real solutions. Democrats used to follow the wise economic logic of JFK, who said "a rising tide lifts all boats." Instead, Democrats in 2014 say shooting at the larger boats will help the smaller boats. The poor and middle class continue to suffer under Obama and Durbin policies during the worst economic recovery in history. Since Durbin last ran for re-election, 379,200 fewer Illinoisans are employed. The way to help all American families is get government out of the way, simplify and reform the tax code, replace Obamacare and stop stifling American energy production.
GOP candidate for 8th CD Larry Kaifesh:
“Despite the President’s claims to the contrary, the facts show that incomes have shrunk, poverty has increased, and the income gap for all Americans has widened over the last five years of the Obama Administration. The hardworking people of Illinois’ 8th District cannot pay their bills and feed their families with the empty rhetoric and destructive economic policies coming out of Washington. That is why 2014 will be a crucial election, where we will have the opportunity to send a message to the politicians that we are fed up with the status quo - because the status quo is crushing our quality of life and our prospects for the future. We clearly deserve better.”
