U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) on Monday took to the floor of the U.S. Senate to warn of what he sees as a “big government approach” that Democrats have taken toward policy-making regarding COVID-19 recovery efforts and the economic fallout that he believes will ensue if Congress continues to spend at record levels.
Tuberville says he believes that expanding opportunity, not government handouts, should be the federal government’s economic approach.
“If we work hard and challenge ourselves to improve, we reap the benefits for much longer. That is the American way,” Tuberville said. “I’d tell this to my players over the years that I coached, lessons learned that are applied to the football field also apply in life. You know, this country owes you one thing, an opportunity.”
He added, “Sometimes people just need to be shown where that opportunity’s at and encouraged to take it. And that’s what everyone in this body should be focused on doing, opening doors for opportunity for the people of this country. President Biden seems determined to close those doors of opportunity by creating, it looks like, a future massive entitlement state.”
Alabama’s junior senator touched on the consequences of rising inflation and the financial hardship it has placed on everyday Americans.
“My Republican colleagues and I have talked a lot about the reckless tax and spend plan and the cost of that plan on American families,” said Tuberville. “We’re seeing rising inflation, which means dollars from your paycheck are not going as far. We’re seeing costs rise on everyday goods that families need, food, gas, diapers – you name it, it’s going up. This is a direct result of untargeted spending this year as we’re trying to recover from a pandemic.”
Tuberville decried what he sees as an ever-expanding welfare state to be a political play to the progressive base of the Democratic Party.
“The reckless tax and spend spree to advance President Biden’s progressive agenda isn’t just unaffordable, it’s un-American,” he said. “The United States was founded on the ideas of personal liberty and self-reliance.”
“Since our founding, people have flocked to the United States because of the opportunity it gives citizens to succeed, not because of cushy government handouts,” continued Tuberville. “Because our society values hard work, grit, and determination more than the countries most of these folks have left behind.”
He concluded, “I say we work together to encourage people to seize the many opportunities in our country [rather than] have them wait around hoping the government will fix every problem life throws their way. That’s the culture of the United States of America, the best country on the face of the earth.”
According to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is a measurement of the costs that consumers pay for goods and services, inflation rose 5.4% in the month of June. The rate sits at the highest it has been since 2008.
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News
