Are You Being Represented?

by Amy Payne, Heritage Foundation, February 26, 2014

Lately, the President has been advocating amnesty and a minimum wage hike. He had a rare private meeting with House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) yesterday to discuss these and other issues.

Here’s the problem with these priorities: Very few Americans say they’re concerned about immigration—and a minimum wage hike would cause destruction in the area they are concerned about: jobs.

Jobs and the economy are Americans’ top concerns, according to Gallup’s February poll. A combined 43 percent of respondents cited unemployment, jobs, or the economy as the “most important problem facing this country today.”

Immigration was cited by only 6 percent—and fewer Democrats said immigration was the most important problem (3 percent compared to 6 percent of Republicans).

Earlier this month, Boehner acknowledged “widespread doubt” about trusting the Obama Administration to enforce immigration laws. Before working with the President and his allies, it’s important to be honest about the risk of Obama acting without Congress.

And guess what comes next on the list of Americans’ concerns? Dissatisfaction with government—poor leadership, corruption, and abuse of power.

Congress and the President need to work on the major task of freeing the economy to create jobs. And the President needs to stop pretending that no one has ever brought him any different ideas.

Heritage Action for America recently hosted a policy summit just to let lawmakers present their newest ideas for reforming Washington and getting America back on track. Heritage President Jim DeMint said he wanted to spread the word that there are Members of Congress who have been able to envision a different America—an America:

where problems are solved, not subsidized; one where citizens are entrusted with the care of their own families and communities; one colored by opportunities as diverse as the millions of lives in this great nation.

What do you think Boehner and Obama should be talking about? Leave a comment and join the discussion.

Read the Morning Bell and more en español every day at Heritage Libertad.

Quick Hits:

• Arizona gets slimed by The New York Times for protecting religious liberty.
• What happens when your state’s attorney general doesn’t want to defend the law?
• The majority of small businesses will see a premium hike thanks to Obamacare.
• This state leader says President Obama is “waving the white flag of surrender” on the economy.
• The 2016 presidential field isn’t set yet, but Hillary Clinton has secured a direct pipeline into Hispanic Americans’ homes.