Jack Kingston: “I wanted to address something that I think is dear to your heart, and that is the label that Republican freshmen have…”

“I wanted to address something that I think is dear to your heart, and that is the label that Republican freshmen have been getting hit with about being called extremists. Your class came to Washington with a spirit of reform and yet the press and the Washington establishment, who likes the status quo, has called you extremist, mean-spirited, callous, and so forth. The reason why is because you have tried to do this thing called the Contract With America. The Contract With America is a legislative package designed to reduce the size of government, cut waste, lower taxes, balance the budget, reform welfare and increase personal freedom. Now, my friends and neighbors that I see at the grocery store at checkout lines do not consider those extreme ideas. But let us examine this in detail. First of all, do you think it is a good idea to balance the budget? Do you think we should do something about the $20 billion in interest we pay each month on the national debt? Do you think we should pass this legacy on to our children? Do you think it is extreme to try to balance the budget in a 7-year period of time? I think not. I think that is a responsible legislative agenda, and I am glad that you are taking it.”