Chicago

From the Hultgren for Congress campaign (14th District)…

ST. CHARLES – State Senator Randy Hultgren, Republican candidate for Congress in Illinois’ 14th District, today outlined his positive vision for reviving the economy and putting Americans back to work. Speaking to more than fifty people at a luncheon hosted by the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce, Hultgren discussed the current economic climate; Washington’s failure to address the issues confronting American employers and workers; and his economic priorities.

“All across the 14th District, people are worried about the future. Many of our friends, neighbors and family members are experiencing the effects of unemployment as a result of the alarming jobless rate in our district that has consistently exceeded the State and National averages, and, many of those who do have jobs are underemployed. Our homes are worth less than when we bought them, and when we go to the store or the mall, we’re not spending as much as we used to because we don’t know what tomorrow holds.

“Unfortunately, our elected officials in Washington are making things worse. Last year, Congress passed a massive stimulus telling us it would keep unemployment below 8 percent; now, economists predict that 9.5 percent national unemployment is here to stay through at least next year. This year, they passed a huge, expensive health care bill that imposes new, burdensome regulations on our small business owners, while failing to address the high costs of health care.

“What Congress is talking about doing is just as bad or worse than what they have actually done. The atmosphere of uncertainty created by out-of-touch politicians and Washington bureaucrats means that business owners don’t know what new rules and regulations may be forced upon them tomorrow, so they are unwilling to expand, invest or hire new workers.

“What Washington needs to do instead – and what I would do if elected – is to cut taxes, reduce spending, and reform the way our government works. Congress also needs to address its role in creating the housing bubble that led to the current economic crisis. Even though a financial regulation “reform” bill was recently signed into law, it did nothing to reform the big government sponsored enterprises – Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae – that backed nearly 97 percent of all U.S. mortgages.

“But most of all, Congress needs to remember who they work for: their constituents. As an elected official, I have always listened, always been respectful to everyone, always kept an open door, and never hid from my constituents, because they’re the people I work for. As a State Senator, I have 200,000 employers I am grateful to report to; hopefully, after November, I’ll have the honor of serving 700,000 employers across this district.”

http://hultgrenforcongress.com/