Gilbert Gutknecht: “there is an expression around this town that ``people are entitled to their own opinions, but they are not entitled to…”

“there is an expression around this town that ``people are entitled to their own opinions, but they are not entitled to their own facts.'' We have heard a lot in the last couple of weeks about this Congress and how little it has accomplished, but let us look at the facts. For the first time since I was in high school, we have a balanced budget. We have more than that. We have a surplus this year. And for the first time since Tiger Woods was 5 years old, American families are actually going to get some tax relief. Let us talk about some of those tax cuts and what they mean to American families. We are allowing for a $500-per-child tax credit. We are making it easier for families to send their kids to school and to college, and we are also making it easier for them to save and invest for their future through capital gains tax relief and estate tax relief. IRS reform. We are now saying that the IRS has to prove that you are guilty rather than the other way around. In the area of agriculture, we have made significant progress in terms of helping our farmers get through these tough times. In health care, we have made it much more portable so if you lose your job or change jobs, you can take your health insurance with you. In the area of education, this Congress is saying that 90 percent of the funds ought to go to the classroom rather than be consumed by the bureaucracy.”