Middle class tax relief
America’s free market and the hard work of our middle class is what has made us the envy of the world. Today, Americans work longer and harder than their counterparts in other wealthy nations. But our work hours are getting longer and our actual earning power is shrinking. In addition, families are being squeezed by rising health care, education and energy costs. Rather than relieving the burden on working families, Washington politicians have provided tax breaks to only the wealthiest Americans and most well-connected corporations.
A sound policy in Iraq
Repeated and lengthy deployments threaten the ability of our forces to rapidly respond to contingencies around the world. A war with no end strains the troops and equipment of our Guard and Reserves, diminishing our ability to respond to disasters and other needs here at home. For example, 40 percent of the equipment for the Army and Marine Corps is either in Iraq or in need of repair. It is important for us to have a phased withdrawal from Iraq that is realistic and responsible. The plan has always been for our forces to stand down as the government of Iraq stands up. It is time for Washington to have the courage and conviction to implement that transition.
Health care for our families
More than 47 million Americans are without adequate health insurance. Among the uninsured or underinsured are 9 million American children. Health insurance premiums have been rising faster as our actual earning power has been shrinking. Our government needs to apply the lessons learned by our private sector. The only way to keep our health care costs in check is with preventative care. We must focus our attention on prevention and providing basic health insurance to our children. Today, out of every dollar we spend on health care only four cents is used for prevention and public health.
Keeping our faith with Social Security
To fail in solving the Social Security dilemma would be to fail the millions of Americans who have trusted our government to assist them in their senior years. It is unacceptable to break this trust with our seniors and future generations of workers. There are long-term impacts when we demoralize America’s workers. As morale falls, productivity falls. When these failed policies shrink the GDP, further compressing the Social Security fund, politicians add to the vicious cycle of poverty that strikes so many Americans. The challenges of Social Security solvency must be addressed now, while it is still within our grasp. We must also protect the integrity of private pension funds. We owe this to current and future generations of retirees.
Agricultural policies for our family farms
Nebraska’s strength comes from our family farms and rural economy. We need to reshape America’s agricultural policy in order to remain the world’s leader in efficient and sustainable farming. We need to establish goals for value added agricultural production, as well as provide opportunities for America’s farmers to compete in the global market. We must also continue to support the innovation and development of biofuels. Nebraska’s family farmers will play a vital role in our nation’s effort to meet energy needs in the 21st Century. While developing a strong biofuel program at home and increasing our market share abroad, farmers will continue to contribute to the economic strength of our state and nation.