Pence: Obama To "Get An Earful" From Republicans
BALTIMORE, Md. -- Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) told reporters today that he expects not another "lofty speech," but a honest dialogue between President Obama and House Republicans that will leave him with a clearer sense of the party's vision.
"There has been a perception greatly propagated by the majority in Congress and many in the administration to suggest that we are the party of no ideas," Pence told reporters this morning ahead of Obama's speech. "We will take this opportunity to respectfully but firmly remind the president of our alternatives. ... [He] won't leave here today without having a much clearer idea that Republicans have had will continue to offer our responsible alternatives to the big government policies of the liberal Congress."
He said Republicans stand ready to work with the Democrats and argued that it is the majority party, not the GOP, who has acted as the party of no. Pence said he may remind the president that the last time he met with the Republican conference was the day before the stimulus vote nearly a year ago. It was in good faith that they invited him to speak with them again today.
"The issue of compromise has to begin with the Democrats and the White House abandoning their practice of reflexively saying no to every Republican proposal, which is in fact the history of the last year in Washington," he said.
Despite that, Pence reacted strongly to a small businesses jobs initiative that Obama plans to unveil elsewhere in Baltimore before his speech at the retreat, calling it the "Jimmy Carter tax credit."
"I don't think we should be looking to the economic policies of the Carter administration to get us out of the worst recession in 25 years," he said. "In terms of economics, this administration and Congress have been playing small ball for a year." The proposal is "another boutique tax credit" he said that might actually create a "perverse incentive" to hold off on hiring until it would take effect.
Asked about the 5.7 percent growth in GDP announced today, Pence argued that those who continue to be hit hard aren't satisfied with symbolic growth. He said during a visit to a Baltimore Salvation Army shelter yesterday, "families didn't ask me if there was something we can do to raise the GDP. [They said] there are no jobs."