GOP Vows to Get the Economy Moving
When House Republican Leader John Boehner takes the speaker's gavel this afternoon, he will make a promise to listen to the American people.
"The American people have humbled us," Boehner will say today, according to his prepared remarks. "They have reminded us that everything here is on loan from them... What they want is a government that is honest, accountable and responsive to their needs."
Boehner will acknowledge today the grim realities that unemployment remains close to 10 percent, health care costs continue to rise for many Americans and the national debt will soon eclipse the size of our entire economy.
"Hard work and tough decisions will be required of the 112th Congress," he'll say. "The people voted to end business as usual, and today we begin carrying out their instructions."
The Republicans' first order of business will be to change the House rules. Then tomorrow, they will read the entire Constitution aloud and cut the congressional budget. Their first significant piece of work later this week will be to introduce legislation to repeal the Democrats' health care overhaul, despite the reality that the repeal has little chance of actually being passed into law due to a Democratic-controlled Senate and White House.
"It's very unlikely that Republicans can do more than a series of flesh wounds," CBS News Congressional Correspondent Nancy Cordes said this morning on CBS' "The Early Show." "They can do damage. They can do mischief. They can't destroy the health care plan as it moves forward."
CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent Bob Schieffer pointed out that Republicans are, to a degree, obligated to at least attempt to pass the repeal, in a nod of recognition to the Tea Party for their support. However, he cautioned that Republicans would be wise to focus more on the economy.
"The reasons the Republicans were swept into office in the House is fairly simple. The economy was on the brink," he said. "Somewhere along the line here they're going to have to get serious and see what they can do about getting people back to work. If this economy continues on in the dump that it's in right now, you're going to see a lot of these people who just came to Washington getting a ticket to go home."
Five-term Republican Sen. John McCain expressed a similar opinion on NBC's "Today Show."
Republican Rep. Paul Ryan, incoming chairman of the House Budget Committee, told the "Today Show" that repealing the health care reforms does relate to jobs because it introduced "massive tax increases" on individuals and businesses.
Ryan also said Republicans would follow through on their promise to quickly bring non-discretionary government spending down to 2008 levels. "I can't tell you by what amount or which program, but all of it is going to be going down," he said. The GOP has promised to avoid cuts to the military, veterans and domestic security.
What Republicans will be unlikely able to do is cut $100 billion in their first year back in power, since the Congress is already halfway through the fiscal year. The House will be more fiscally responsible under Republican control, the party says.
"Democrats failed to pass (or even propose) a budget resolution last year, failed to pass a single appropriations bill, and we're now operating under a stop-gap spending bill through March," Republican Budget Committee aide Conor Sweeney said. "Last year, House Republicans pledged to bring non-security discretionary spending back to 2008 levels. We estimated savings at that time relative to President Obama's proposed fiscal blueprint due to the fact that Democrats in Congress offered no budget with which to compare. House Republicans remain committed to fulfilling their Pledge; this has not changed."
Watch CBS News Chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer's analysis of the GOP takeover of the House:
112th Congress Begins: Gridlock on Horizon?
As New House Convenes, Parties Swap Office Space - and Arguments
Congress Starts Fighting before GOP Takes Power
