January 27, 2009
Contact: Bill George
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Congressman Tom McClintock's Recent House Floor Speeches

Speech in Opposition to H.R. 1

January 27, 2009

Mr. Chairman:

With this measure, the new administration seems bound and determined to continue the failed policy of the past administration. This proves what I like to call "McClintock's Second Law of Political Physics," which is, the more we spend on our mistakes, the less willing we are to admit them.

This policy has failed everywhere and every time it has been tried for a simple reason: government cannot INJECT a dollar INTO the economy that it first has not taken OUT of the economy.

If I take a dollar from Peter and give it to Paul, it's true that Paul now has an extra dollar to spend. And when he spends it, that dollar will ripple through the economy.

But Peter now has one less dollar to spend in that same economy. In short, it nets to zero.

In fact, it nets to less than zero, because we are shifting enormous amounts of capital away from investments based on economic calculations and in favor of investments based on political ones.

Speech in Opposition to S. 181

January 27, 2009

Mr. Speaker:

Much has been said about the chilling effect this legislation will have on our economy because of the endless lawsuits it makes possible - including for grievances that may stretch back 30 years or more. And I certainly share those concerns.

But I want to express a deeper concern with this legislation: I believe it hurts the cause of equality and opportunity in the workplace by making it more difficult for people who most need jobs and most want jobs to get them.

Any person's labor is worth exactly what that person is willing to receive and what another is willing to pay. The decisions that are made by both the employee and the employer are unique to those people and to those circumstances.

Someone passionately wanting to break into a field, for example, or to stay in a region - or shorten a commute - or an infinite variety of other considerations - may be willing to accept less, in order to gain those non-economic advantages, than someone who is equally qualified but indifferent to those advantages.

Imposing rigid one-size-fits-all requirements into the relationship between an employee and an employer reduces the employee's freedom to negotiate for the best set of conditions for his or her own unique circumstances.

And lest we forget, when all else fails there is a fail-safe and absolute protection the market provides to all: it is the word, "no." "No, the pay isn't acceptable;" "No, the conditions aren't satisfactory;" "No, I can get a better offer elsewhere."

Freedom works. It's time that we put it back to work.

January 26, 2009

Speech on Federal Waiver

Mr. Speaker:

I rise to urge the President not to waive the Federal law on emission standards that is currently protecting Californians from Governor Schwarzenegger's crusade to save our planet by destroying our economy. Putting aside the highly questionable junk science behind the Governor's proposal, the net effect would add up to $5,000 to the price of a new car.

Automobile sales normally account for one-fifth of California 's sales taxes, which have already fallen by $1 1/2 billion over the past 12 months. Ironically, the Governor's also asking the President to bail out California 's growing budget deficit at the same time.

So I would respectfully suggest to the President that California 's economic folly is not something that he should be copying.

To read other floor speeches and view video of Congressman McClintock's remarks, please visit http://mcclintock.house.gov/