Congressman who defeated Eric Cantor reports ‘cracks in the status quo’ in war with ‘Swamp’

by WorldTribune Staff, September 25, 2017

In the people’s war with the D.C. “Swamp,” the “Swamp” is still winning – but Congress “is making progress,” said Rep. Dave Brat.

“There are good reasons voters in both parties felt they needed to turn to ‘outsider’ candidates last November:  the insiders in the swamp weren’t listening,” Brat wrote in a message to “Friends of Dave Brat, Inc.” on Sept. 24.

Rep. Dave Brat: ‘Middle class families need some big policy wins, and soon.’ / AP

Brat, a Virginia Republican who ousted former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, said that “As September – and the end of the federal fiscal year – draws to a close, if you pulled out your scorecard to check progress on The People vs. The Swamp, I think you’d be right to conclude that the swamp is still winning. Well, the good news is that Congress is making progress. It’s much slower progress than any of us anticipated, but due to the efforts of hard-working, principled conservatives in Congress – and the people back home keeping the pressure on – there are wide cracks in the status quo.”

Brat continued: “Without a doubt, the long-term battle for freedom and less government control over our lives is a battle bigger than one election cycle. Without a doubt, we need to put substance and saving the country over politics. And, without a doubt, we need to deliver on our promises to the American people. Middle class families need some big policy wins, and soon.”

Congress will take on several major issues when they return to work next week, including tax reform, immigration and another possible vote on repealing Obamacare.

“When it comes to tax reform, we want to see a plan from leadership that will actually cut taxes for families, simplify a ridiculously complex tax code, and create jobs,” Brat said. “A good starting place is to have basic questions answered:  What are the personal rates? What’s the corporate rate? What’s the repatriation rate? How are small businesses treated? Right now, a few people in leadership are the only ones who know those basic details.”

Senate Republicans “are working on a last-ditch effort to repeal Obamacare before the time runs out on the legislative window for repeal Sept. 30,” Brat said.

“While this bill falls short of my goal to fully repeal Obamacare, and needs critical fixes, it is probably the last viable attempt to begin unwinding Obamacare’s failures, and taking a first step towards federalism by moving the healthcare debate from Washington, DC, to the individual states. The Graham-Cassidy bill would repeal the individual and employer mandate, curtail Medicaid expansion, and turn the proceeds into block grants for the states to use. It would allow people to purchase catastrophic plans that meet their budget. And, it would incorporate some of my ideas on Health Savings Accounts. Critics claim that the bill would ‘kick about 30 million Americans off health insurance.’ This is wrong. When millions of people voluntarily drop coverage they would not have bought without threat of penalty, that is not ‘kicking’ people off coverage. It is the free market, and choice, at work.”

“The American people are sick of the status quo and cronies who rig the system to their benefit,” Brat said. “We all want to see big and bold reforms that make a real difference in the everyday lives of people who work hard for a living.”


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